Robots could be building our future solar plants

California-based solar energy tech startup Planted Solar is using robots and specialized software to minimize land allocation and labor for utility-scale solar projects, Bloomberg reports. The startup designs arrays that can capture sunlight on hard to develop terrain such as steep slopes. The designs are then given to robots to carry out construction slashin labor time and costs by 50%. Using Planted’s tech, a solar plant needs two acres of land per MW of power compared to five acres per MW on a conventional solar farm.

Big plans are underway: The startup just received USD 20 mn in series A funding from Bill Gates’ Breakthrough Energy Ventures and Khosla Ventures. The funding will allow the startup to expand in the US and foreign markets, Solar Chief Executive Officer Eric Brosays said. Planted has already announced 11 MW of solar projects in 2024 in collaboration with solar and storage development company Cultivate Power.