How this new robot will help build solar farms in a fast, effective way

SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- A Bay Area company recently launched a robot that will help build solar farms.

San Francisco-based Built Robotics launched the "RPD 35," a robot based on an excavator. It can carry heavy solar piles used to support solar panels and install them on a solar farm.

The company said the robot helps build solar farms in a faster, safer and more cost-effective way.

It will be deployed later this year on commercial projects on large utility solar farms all over the country.

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Founder and CEO Noah Ready-Campbell said it's about five times more productive than traditional means and methods for creating solar farm foundations.

This comes as the country is working to meet the White House's goal of creating a clean energy economy by installing 950 million solar panels by 2030.

"The big focus now is really solar and the reason for that is, I think, the market is just going crazy right now," Ready-Campbell said. "The economics are super strong. Solar is, by far, the cheapest way to generate electricity in California and in most other parts of the country."

The robot will get sent to a solar farm construction site. It'll usually be at a site for a few months then will get sent to another site.

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The company won't disclose how many RPD 35's they have but they do have other robots, which collectively have worked on about two dozen jobs, mostly on solar farms.

The RPD 35 is pretty booked out, due to the popularity, Ready-Campbell said.

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