Built Robotics, the creator of the Exosystem and a pioneer in construction autonomy, has unveiled the RPD 35, the world’s first fully autonomous solar piling system.
Utility-scale solar foundations may be built up to five times faster using the RPD 35 than with existing tools and procedures, bringing the country closer to net zero energy.
Piling is a sophisticated construction process that is important to every utility-scale solar project. Solar piles are typically steel H-beams 12 to 16 feet long and weighing up to 200 pounds. A typical solar farm necessitates the installation of tens of thousands of piles, each of which must be driven into the ground up to eight feet and positioned with an accuracy of less than an inch. These piles together constitute the structural foundation of the solar array.
The RPD 35 combines all piling process processes — survey, pile distribution, pile driving, and inspection — into a single product. Using the RPD 35, a two-person crew can install over 300 piles each day, up to five times faster than is currently achievable, all while meeting the market’s most severe tolerances. This is accomplished by combining Built’s construction AI software with a bespoke pile cartridge system and powerful sensors like as RTK GPS.
“Solar piling is a tough, repetitive job, one well suited to automation,” Noah Ready-Campbell, creator and CEO of Built Robots, stated. “Our piling robots will dramatically improve the efficiency of workers on jobsites, which is critical in the chronically tight construction labor market. And just as importantly, they will take people out of harm’s way, reducing noise exposure, strain, struck-by and pinch hazards.”
Build has a good track record of producing solar industry robots, with its first commercial deployment in 2018. Built’s robots have now assisted in the installation of over 2 GW of solar capacity around the country, enough to power over 400,000 homes.
Simultaneously, the solar industry has evolved significantly, and the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 has spurred solar buildout even further. In 2022, approximately 10 GW of utility-scale solar capacity was constructed in the United States, and forecasts show that by 2030, more than 100 GW would be installed per year. This rapid solar ramp-up is critical for the United States to meet its climate goals, and it will only be doable with automation and other sophisticated technology.
Developed plans to begin client deployments of the RPD 35 in Q4 2023.
