Revolutionizing Solar Maintenance: LEAPTING’s Cutting-Edge Robotic Solutions – Gaurav Gaba, Sales Director – India LEAPTING, International Sales Dept.

1、Can you share insights into LEAPTING’s latest product offerings in solar robotic cleaning solutions, specifically tailored for the Indian market?

Against the backdrop of the rapid global development of new energy sources, solar photovoltaic power generation is emerging as a crucial medium for converting solar energy and is advancing at an unprecedented pace. However, most photovoltaic power stations are situated in remote areas with sparse populations, modules by extreme temperatures, harsh cold, or storms. When the surfaces of panels accumulate dust and dirt over extended periods in such environments, it can significantly impair the power of the generation system. Traditional cleaning methods primarily rely on manual water washing, which not only consumes considerable time but also results in inconsistent cleanliness while posing certain safety risks. For instance, in regions like Rajasthan, India, extreme summer conditions have made labor hiring increasingly challenging; coupled with government restrictions on water usage, this creates significant obstacles to effective panel cleaning.

Since its inception, LEAPTING has been committed to unmanned intelligent operation and maintenance throughout the lifecycle of photovoltaic power plants and has introduced a comprehensive intelligent solution for PV panels cleaning—the “G1 Automatic Cleaning Robot ” that features an advanced four-wheel drive transmission system that allows smooth movement and boasts a maximum climbing capability of 25°, enabling it to navigate various obstacles encountered in different photovoltaic module scenarios. With a fully charged battery, each robot can cover up to 3 kilometers per cleaning cycle and clean approximately 8-10 modules per minute on average. As more large-scale power plants come online, demand for module cleaning products continues to rise. At the REI exhibition held in India in October 2024, LEAPTING unveiled its newly developed “G2D Automatic Navigation Vehicle-mounted Cleaning Robot” designed specifically to address the increasing demands for efficient panel cleaning at large facilities. This robot employs a flexible cleaning approach that automatically determines the optimal distance between brushes and modules to ensure superior cleaning performance. Additionally, equipped with an automatic navigation system enables it to execute predetermined routes without human intervention; it can achieve daily operational distances of up to 20 kilometers while handling as many as 20,000 modules per unit. Even within some remote desert regions of India, its high-capacity chassis design ensures adaptability across diverse photovoltaic station environments.

2、What unique features set LEAPTING’s robotic solutions apart from competitors, and how do these address specific challenges face by Indian solar projects?

As artificial intelligence technology continues to mature, the application of intelligent robots in industrial manufacturing is increasingly becoming a mainstream trend. LEAPTING has consistently focused on the intelligent operation and maintenance of photovoltaic power plants. In line with our original mission, we aim to enhance the efficiency of power station operations and maintenance through advanced technological solutions, thereby reducing operational costs and improving energy generation efficiency.

In previous projects involving module cleaning at photovoltaic power plants, we determined that an average of 2 to 3 automatic cleaning robots are required for each megawatt. Consequently, for a large-scale photovoltaic power plant with a total capacity of 1GW, approximately 20,000 to 30,000 automatic cleaning robots would be necessary to complete the module cleaning process. This requirement undoubtedly poses a significant burden on independent power producers or EPC companies. However, it also presents LEAPTING with a substantial opportunity to develop an automatic navigation vehicle-mounted cleaning robot tailored for large power plants. Our robot is equipped with high-precision AI recognition and autonomous navigation systems and utilizes multi-sensor fusion technology for environmental perception and positioning. This enables the robot to navigate intelligently within photovoltaic installations while achieving up to 20 kilometers of daily cleaning coverage. Its flexible cleaning technology allows high-speed rotating brushes to effectively eliminate dust and dirt from the surfaces of photovoltaic modules—whether navigating gaps between modules or bridge structures between infrastructures—the independently developed mechanical arm can traverse these obstacles seamlessly while continuing its cleaning tasks; thus, enabling it to clean up to 20,000 modules per day.

3、How does LEAPTING ensure the durability and efficiency of its robotic cleaning systems, especially given India’s diverse climate conditions?

Considering the variable and extreme outdoor climate conditions, all products in LEAPTING ‘s series, including the G1 Automatic Cleaning Robot and the G2D Automatic Navigation Vehicle-mounted Cleaning Robot, are designed to operate effectively in environments ranging from -30°C to 60°C. All materials have undergone nearly 100,000 tests for resistance to extreme cold and heat to ensure their exceptional stability. With only 4 hours of charging time, these robots can perform cleaning operations throughout the night without affecting the daytime energy generation of photovoltaic modules.

4、Could you share insights on recent launches or technological advancements from LEAPTING for the Indian market in solar robotic cleaning solutions?

By participating in the India REI Renewable Energy Exhibition this October, we observed a growing trend among large photovoltaic module manufacturers and EPC companies to adopt G2D-like module cleaning robots for large-scale power plants. The waterless cleaning mode not only contributes to environmental protection but also maintains generation efficiency, facilitating easier management for maintenance personnel. This innovation has garnered significant attention from our clients. Feedback reports from existing operational projects will assist LEAPTING in continuously updating and iterating its technology, ensuring sustained technological advancement. Currently, LEAPTING holds over 200 patent applications and possesses authoritative TUV-recognized test reports. Additionally, we actively engage in drafting industry standards and product specifications for G1 Automatic cleaning robots. We effectively integrate machine vision, global navigation, artificial intelligence, big data, and other advanced technologies into our robotic products, successfully establishing an “integrated intelligent” robot solution system.

Looking ahead, LEAPTING will continue to explore the application of robotics across various stages and scenarios within power plants to enhance its product line and realize a truly comprehensive smart operation and maintenance system for photovoltaic power stations. We are dedicated to becoming a leading company in the field of clean energy robotics worldwide.