Maximo Robot Hits 300,000 Solar Construction Tasks in AES Clean Energy Build

AES Corporation's AI-powered solar construction robot, Maximo, has reached a major milestone by completing its 300,000th task, underscoring automation's growing role in renewable energy projects. The robot, now in its third iteration, is being deployed at the Bellefield Solar Project in Kern County, California, one of the largest solar-plus-storage developments in the U.S. Engineers report that Maximo version 3.0 can install up to 24 solar panel modules per hour per worker, a significant productivity boost compared to traditional manual methods. This milestone comes after Maximo completed the first half of the Bellefield complex last summer, and the robot is now operating at full capacity to accelerate the project's completion. The achievement highlights how robotics and AI are addressing labor shortages and cost pressures in the clean energy sector, enabling faster deployment of utility-scale solar. As renewable energy demand surges, such automation could become a standard for large-scale solar construction, helping meet ambitious climate goals while improving efficiency and safety on job sites.