Maximo, the solar robotics company incubated by AES, has successfully installed 100 MW of solar panels at the AES Bellefield project, an under-construction 1-GW project in Kern County, California.
“Reaching 100 MW is an important milestone for Maximo and for the role robotics can play in solar construction. It demonstrates that field robotics can move beyond experimentation and deliver consistent results at utility scale. As solar deployment continues to accelerate globally, technologies that improve installation speed, quality and reliability will become increasingly important,” said Chris Shelton, president of Maximo.
The Bellefield project evolved from a single robot to a coordinated fleet of four Maximo robot units operating in parallel. Peak unit installation rates reached 474 modules per day, with Maximo’s direct crew members installing up to 24 modules per hour per person. This is 60% higher than the 10-15 modules per hour with traditional methods in the region, as a result of optimized integration between robotic placement, skilled fastening technicians and union team members.
NVIDIA technologies supported the development and readiness of the Maximo robotic fleet deployed in California. Leveraging NVIDIA AI infrastructure together with NVIDIA Omniverse libraries and NVIDIA Isaac Sim open robotics simulation framework, the Maximo team was able to develop, test and refine robotic capabilities through physics-based simulation and AI driven modeling before deploying updates in the field.
The combination of AI, vision, robotics and simulation driven engineering reduced development and validation timelines and increased confidence in field performance as the robotic fleet scaled.
“Physical AI is a powerful force for accelerating real world energy infrastructure,” said Marc Spieler, Senior Director of Energy, NVIDIA. “By combining AI infrastructure, simulation, and edge AI, platforms like Maximo demonstrate how physical AI can help accelerate solar panel installation while maintaining high reliability in complex environments.”
Amazon Web Services (AWS) powered the development, deployment and operation of Maximo’s AI-driven field systems. AWS provides scalable computing, automated software delivery, and advanced data analytics, including real-time construction intelligence, enabling Maximo to collect operational robotics data and continuously improve performance.
“Innovation in carbon-free energy development is critical to meeting the world’s growing energy needs,” said Kara Hurst, Chief Sustainability Officer, Amazon. “By combining AI and robotics, technologies like Maximo demonstrate how we can accelerate the transition to carbon-free energy while improving safety and efficiency. Amazon is proud to support projects that push the boundaries of what’s possible in sustainable infrastructure.”
News item from Maximo
