Terabase Energy completed the first commercial deployment of its automated field factory solution. Solar Builder previously reported on the launch of the company’s Terafab system and a $25 million investment to further scale up the solar construction solution.
Now, the Terafab construction automation platform has entered the mainstream, having installed a 17 MW subset of the 225 MW White Wing Ranch project in Arizona. The project was completed in collaboration with developer Leeward Renewable Energy (LRE) and EPC contractor RES, and Terabase believes the Terafab technology represents an advancement in solar construction that will help the industry scale and meet ambitious global decarbonization goals.
“This milestone marks a pivotal moment in our mission to accelerate solar power plant deployment to meet the Terawat scale demands of the future,” said Mat Campbell, CEO of Terabase Energy. “Our partnership with Leeward Renewable Energy and RES has not only validated the efficacy of the Terafab system, but also laid the groundwork for future projects. Furthermore, the Terafab system was deployed alongside our Construct digital twin software for managing and monitoring solar power plant construction, demonstrating interoperability of our existing product offerings with physical field applications.”
The Terafab system set several new industry benchmarks at full production:
- Provided workers with shaded and cooled working conditions to allow for system operation in a very hot desert environment.
- Completely eliminated the manual lifting of heavy steel tubes and solar panels, a first in the industry.
- Demonstrated labor productivity improvements of 25% compared with manual installation.
- Enabled 100% return of PV module packaging for reuse by the manufacturer.
- Demonstrated the compelling synergy of automation, Internet of Things (IoT), a digital twin, and data analytics to improve solar construction management on a remote site with difficult environmental conditions.
“The benefits demonstrated by this project underscore the transformative potential of automation in advancing solar construction practices, enabling us to accelerate and de-risk our project pipeline,” said Sam Mangrum, EVP of project execution at LRE. “As the renewable energy landscape continues to evolve, LRE is committed to embracing cuttng-edge technologies and partnering with innovators like Terabase Energy.”
The metrics on this utility-scale project serve as validation of the potential of digital and automation technologies to advance the solar industry, and Terabase aims to be at the forefront of this trend.
“White Wing Ranch demonstrates that Terabase’s technology can drive substantial progress in solar construction safety, quality, cost and schedule,” said Will Schultek, VP of construction at RES. “We are excited about the possibilities ahead.”
— Solar Builder magazine
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