S. Himmelstein | June 19, 2023
An automated rover installs solar panels in the Terabase field factory. Source: Terabase Energy
An automated utility-scale solar installation system is expected by system developer Terabase Energy to double labor productivity when compared to traditional utility-scale installation methods.
The Terafab system makes use of digital twins, logistics software, an on-site digital command center, a field-deployed automated assembly line, and installation rovers that can operate 24/7. The automated field factory is engineered to enable rapid ramp-ups and higher solar field construction speeds, significantly reducing project schedules.
Slated for commercial deployment in the third quarter of 2023, Terafab also reduces the levelized cost of electricity for utility-scale solar projects. An additional benefit of the scalable system is a reduction in the physical safety risk of construction workers, as the need to lift heavy solar panels and steel structures, often in harsh weather conditions, is eliminated by utilizing automation on a climate-controlled assembly line.
A new manufacturing facility in Woodland, California, is now producing the first gigawatt (GW) of Terafab assembly lines with a capacity to build more than 10 GW of Terafabs per year.
