This Bill Gates-backed company uses robots to build mega solar farms

Terabase Energy’s goal is to reduce the cost and accelerate the deployment of the solar energywith the construction of large solar plants. They have just received 51.93 million euros (52 million dollars at current exchange rates), in a financing round co-led by Breakthrough Energy Ventures (the investment fund against climate change founded by Bill Gates).

In a release issued by the company itself, they report that Prelude Ventures, SJF Ventures and other investors have also participated. The received, they announce, will be used for the construction of a digital automation platform and robotics for the development, construction and operation of scale photovoltaics of public services.

They say Terabase’s first automated field factory, capable of 24/7 operation, can significantly compress construction schedules and reduce costs, while ensuring higher build quality.

Robotic-assisted workflow will also improve worker health and safetythey note, “by eliminating the manual lifting of heavy panels and steel components in often difficult outdoor weather conditions.”

The company, they continue, is working with project developers, owners, and engineering and construction companies to support the design, optimization, and implementation of large-scale solar parks around the world.

The new funding round will enable full commercial deployment of the company’s integrated solution in 2023, and comes shortly after Terabase announced its first commercial project, the largest deployment of robotics in solar plant construction to date.

“We need much more solar energy to achieve decarbonization goals”

“In recent years, the solar industry has focused on technological improvements to solar panels and other components of hardwarewhile the means and methods of engineering and construction have remained largely unchanged,” says Carmichael Roberts of Breakthrough Energy Ventures.

The way the industry designs and builds large-scale projects needs to be rethought “if we are to achieve the very rapid growth required to meet net-zero goals,” he says.

To enable deployment of the terawatt-scale solar power needed to decarbonize, he adds, “we think a breakthrough is needed to transform the way photovoltaic power plants are built“.

Australian engineers create a solar panel that generates electricity with the cooling of the planet

Terabase’s solution has – in the words of the representative of the fund founded by Bill Gates– “tremendous potential to reduce costs and accelerate large-scale solar power deploymentand we look forward to working with them on that mission.”

“This investment is validation of our vision for quickly deploy solar power on a terawatt scale,” adds Matt Campbell, co-founder and CEO of Terabase Energy.

“It took the world 50 years to build the first terawatt (one million megawatts) of solar powerbut we need at least an additional 50 terawatts built as quickly as possible to meet the global decarbonization goals. This funding round will allow us to expand our team and make the necessary investments to achieve this goal.”

Breakthrough Energy Ventures raised more than $2 billion

Founded in 2015 by Bill Gates, Breakthrough Energy Ventures (BEV) is supported by many top business leaders in the worldand raised more than €1.999 billion ($2 billion) in committed capital to support cutting-edge companies that are leading the world to net-zero emissions.

It is a specially designed investment company that seek, invest, launch and scale global companies that will eliminate CO₂ emissions throughout the economy as soon as possible.

BEV, they highlight in the Terabase Energy statement, is part of Breakthrough Energy, a network of investment vehicles, philanthropic programs, policy advocacy “and other activities committed to scaling the technologies we need to reach net emissions zero by 2050″.