Robotics is beginning to expand its role in photovoltaic projects in Latin America. In addition to solutions used during operation and maintenance, new applications are being developed for module assembly, while compatibility with trackers and structures is gaining importance from the earliest stages of projects.
Evolution was one of the topics raised during The smarter E South America 2026 , an event held from August 25 to 27 in São Paulo, where Enertrack and Sunpure showcased the integration between tracking systems and robotic solutions.
Beyond the solution developed between the two companies, the conversation hints at a broader change: as the automation of power plants increases, the equipment can no longer necessarily be thought of as independent components.
“Integration with the tracker is very important. It is very important that the market, both EPC companies and clients, know that companies like Enertrack place a lot of focus on this integration to optimize both systems, both the tracker system and the robotic system, because working together is key,” said José Carlos Montoro, Global Business Development Director of Sunpure, in an interview with Energía Estratégica .
“What customers want to guarantee is that integration between the two systems and the two components, obviously to maintain the guarantees, and to maintain the performance of both the tracker and the robots,” he added.
Automation is advancing from O&M to construction
This change expands the role that robotics can play within a power plant. In addition to cleaning tasks during operation, there is now equipment specifically designed for module installation.
Sunpure, for example, has a photovoltaic assembly robot that can work with 1P and 2P trackers, as well as fixed tilt structures, while also having different robotic systems for cleaning and O&M.
“The robotic installation of modules seeks to reduce dependence on labor, increase productivity and standardization of assembly, improve HSE and provide greater predictability to construction costs and deadlines,” commented Montoro.
“We are sure that with this compatibility and all this integration we can now offer more advantages to the customer,” said Diego Silva , Regional Sales Manager of Enertrack , who emphasized the compatibility between technologies and the possibility of covering different stages of the project.
Montoro also linked automation to the long-term operation of the plants: “Robotics allows us to generate value throughout the entire life cycle of the plant: during construction, improving productivity, safety, quality and predictability; and during operation, optimizing OPEX, water consumption and labor, as well as reducing soiling losses and improving energy production.”
Continue reading
The use of autonomous systems to reduce water consumption is already finding concrete applications in Latin America. In Chile, a technology developed by a spin-off company from the Federico Santa María Technical University was validated this year at a photovoltaic plant in the Antofagasta Region to perform continuous cleaning without using water.
Mexico, Chile, Peru and Argentina under scrutiny
However, the speed of adoption is not uniform within the region: “Brazil is going through a more challenging scenario for the development of new projects, although it will continue to be one of the most important solar markets in Latin America,” said the Global Business Development Director of Sunpure.
“Mexico is the country that stands tall, we have many opportunities,” Silva stated.
The Mexican market also has a concrete precedent in automation. At the Puerto Peñasco Photovoltaic Plant in Sonora, the use of robots for cleaning and maintaining panels is documented, in addition to computerized systems for automating processes within the complex.
“CFE made the decision a few years ago to incorporate robotics into its projects. We already have two with them in Mexico, Puerto Peñasco 3 (300 MW) and Puerto Peñasco 4 (280 MW),” he said.
“Furthermore, we have international certifications, including those for the Mexican market. In other words, we are ready to meet market demands,” he added.
From individual component to integrated plant
For companies, Mexico will not be the only market where this discussion will gain momentum. Montoro also pointed to Peru and Chile among the countries where he sees the greatest robotics activity and identified Argentina as a market that is beginning to gain relevance for these solutions.
According to Silva, the differences between countries require transferring lessons learned between markets and adapting the strategy to the pace of development of each one.
The discussion, therefore, begins to shift from the isolated incorporation of a robot towards the way in which different technologies interact during the useful life of a power plant.
The technological offering itself already reflects this movement: there are assembly robots capable of operating on different configurations of trackers and cleaning systems that can link their operation with information from the tracker and the SCADA of the plants.