Cosmic Robotics Machines May Accelerate the Installation of Solar Panels

The U.S. is ramping up solar farm construction so quickly that there aren’t enough workers to keep pace. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects a 48% rise in solar installer jobs by 2033, but even with that growth, the industry may still face a shortage of skilled labor. A major challenge: many solar farms are located in remote, harsh environments like deserts, making the work both exhausting and unattractive.

“It’s terrible work in remote places,” said James Emerick, co-founder and CEO of Cosmic Robotics, in an interview with TechCrunch. To ease that burden, Cosmic has created a robotic assistant designed to handle the physically demanding parts of the job.

Robots Take on the Heavy Lifting in Solar Installations, Allowing Humans to Focus on Skilled Tasks

Installing utility-scale solar panels — which can weigh up to 90 pounds — often requires workers to lift and mount them onto elevated racks for hours in extreme heat. Cosmic’s robots are built to manage this heavy lifting, freeing up human workers for more precise tasks that require dexterity and judgment.

To support this vision, Cosmic Robotics has secured a $4 million pre-seed funding round led by Giant Ventures, with backing from HCVC, MaC Ventures, and angel investors including Azeem Azhar, Aarthi Ramamurthy, and Nate Williams.

Their current robot is an eight-wheeled machine equipped with a robotic arm, suction cups, cameras, and a trailer full of solar panels. It uses high-accuracy GPS for navigation and recharges at the construction site depot at the end of the day.

“We see this as a tool to empower workers, not replace them,” said Cosmic Robotics CEO James Emerick. “The job is physically demanding, so introducing technology like this broadens the range of people who can participate in the work.”

Cosmic’s robot is highly precise, capable of placing a solar panel within just a few millimeters of its intended spot. Human crew members still oversee the process and secure the panels to the racks, ensuring everything is correctly aligned.

Cosmic-1A Boosts Efficiency by Matching Human Speed and Working Without Breaks, Doubling Team Productivity

The robot not only eases the physical strain but also accelerates installation. Emerick noted that it could allow a typical crew to split into two teams, potentially doubling daily output. Known as the Cosmic-1A, the robot currently installs a panel every 30 to 40 seconds, on par with the speed of top human installers—but unlike people, it can maintain that pace for extended periods without fatigue. Workers continue to take regular breaks, while the robot stays on task.

With new funding, Cosmic plans to produce several units and have them operating in real-world construction sites by the end of the year.

The innovation could be particularly valuable to data center developers, who are racing to secure enough electricity to meet soaring demand. Solar energy is already a favored solution due to its affordability and quick deployment. Automating the installation process would make it even more appealing.

“There’s something new happening every day in data centers and power generation,” said Emerick. “Speed is everything. You can’t build fast enough or bring computing online quickly enough. That’s why data centers are measured in megawatts—it’s power that defines the scale.”

Read the original article on: TechCrunch

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