ARENA funds $25M Lightspeed solar innovation project

The Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) has allocated $25 million to Equans Solar & Storage for the Lightspeed project. This three-year initiative aims to trial up to 10 new technologies across Equans’ solar and storage pipeline to lower the costs of building and operating large-scale solar projects in Australia.

The project will focus on five key areas: civil, mechanical, and electrical works, as well as operations, maintenance, and digital coordination. Key technologies to be tested include construction robotics, automated piling systems, and autonomous inspection solutions designed to reduce labor-intensive tasks and improve construction efficiency.

The first technology scheduled for deployment is the Nextpower Ranger, an autonomous inspection robot. This trial marks the robot’s first use at an Australian solar farm and is intended to build market confidence in autonomous solutions for renewable infrastructure.