Robotics innovator Luminous has been selected as the inaugural recipient of the Australian Renewable Energy Agency’s (ARENA) $100 million Solar ScaleUp Challenge, securing $4.9 million in funding to introduce its advanced LUMI robot technology to large-scale solar construction projects across Australia.
The Solar ScaleUp Challenge was launched by ARENA to accelerate innovation and crowdsource global solutions aimed at reducing the cost of utility-scale solar.
Luminous’ winning project will see the deployment and demonstration of the LUMI robot, an AI-driven pick-and-place system designed to automate one of the most labour-intensive aspects of solar farm construction: panel installation.
LUMI autonomously positions solar modules onto racking structures, enabling onsite workers to complete the final securing process, thereby reducing manual labour and enhancing installation speed, safety, and cost-efficiency.
ARENA CEO Darren Miller emphasised the strategic importance of lowering operation and maintenance costs in the rollout of large-scale solar, stating: “ARENA has set an ambitious goal to reduce the installed cost of solar to 30 cents per watt and bring the levelised cost of electricity (LCOE) below $20 per megawatt hour.
“These are important targets, because at this cost solar will form the foundation for Australia’s renewable energy ‘superpower’ future.”
He added: “To achieve net zero, Australia will need immense amounts of solar power at ultra-low cost.
“We’ve already proven our ability to manufacture advanced technologies. It’s now time to apply that capability to solar PV, a cornerstone of the nation’s clean energy future.”
Miller highlighted that technologies such as LUMI are essential for driving down costs and ensuring Australia remains at the forefront of solar technology innovation and development.
He noted that the Solar ScaleUp Challenge successfully united creative minds from around the world to collaborate and deliver transformative solutions for the solar sector, with the LUMI project standing out as a prime example of this inventive spirit.
Luminous expects the LUMI robot to boost productivity and safety on Australian solar farms, enabling the existing workforce to install solar panels up to 3.5 times faster without heavy lifting.
The company projects that deploying a full fleet of five LUMI robots could lower solar farm costs by up to 6.2 per cent.
While LUMI has already demonstrated cost reductions on solar farms in the United States, the ARENA-backed initiative will mark the first global deployment of a complete LUMI fleet.
Luminous has partnered with global engineering, procurement, and construction firm Equans to roll out the LUMI robots at two major Australian solar farms: the 440MW Neoen Culcairn Solar Farm in New South Wales and the 250MW Engie Goorambat East Solar Farm in Victoria.
Luminous CEO Jay M. Wong expressed enthusiasm for the project, stating: “With LUMI, we’re not just introducing a robot — we’re setting out to redefine the standard for how solar farms are built and help sites energise faster and safer.
“Deploying our LUMI fleet in Australia will allow us to capture the data, performance insights and real-world impact needed to drive global adoption — the kind of scale and transformation we founded Luminous to achieve.”
The initiative continues ARENA’s longstanding support for Australian solar innovation, with more than $388 million invested in over 200 solar R&D projects since 2009.
Although the ScaleUp Challenge has concluded, ARENA remains committed to advancing renewable energy technologies and encourages further engagement from investors, developers, researchers, and entrepreneurs.
ARENA will continue to support big ideas and back breakthroughs that power Australia’s clean energy future.
