PV installation robots prove their mettle as extreme heat hits desert construction site-TIANSHANNET-天山网

Shiliuyun-Xinjiang Daily (Reporter Yu Jiangyan, Correspondent Luo Xuan) news: On July 18, 2026, the temperature in Shanshan County, Turpan City, northwest China’s Xinjiang, reached 42 degrees Celsius, with heat waves rippling across the Gobi Desert. At the construction site of the Tuha Oilfield eastern Shanshan 1-gigawatt photovoltaic project, two custombuilt tracked PV installation robots were operating in an orderly manner. Using vacuum suction cups on robotic arms, the machines pick up solar panels and autonomously complete the entire process of transfer, alignment, and placement – precise, efficient, and seamless.

Photo taken on July 18, 2026 shows a PV installation robot works in an orderly fashion at the Tuha Oilfield eastern Shanshan 1-gigawatt PV project site in Shanshan County, Turpan City, northwest China’s Xinjiang. (Photo by Luo Xuan)

Since the start of summer, Turpan City has repeatedly recorded China's highest temperatures, and the persistent heat has slowed the project's progress. Recently, the project team from Tuha Oilfield's New Energy Division (Power Supply Company) introduced PV installation robots. The equipment is fitted with widened, nonslip tracked chassis, capable of handling sand dunes, gravel, and uneven terrain without being affected by soft sand or elevation changes. Equipped with 3D vision positioning and AI pathplanning systems, the robots achieve installation positioning accuracy within ±5mm.

"Manual handling and installation carries a high risk of scratching the solar panel. Using vacuum suction cups eliminates the risk of collision damage. The millimetre-level precision positioning and recognition also greatly reduce installation deviations and minimise rework," said Wang Xuan, head of the technical team at the PV project department of Tuha Oilfield's New Energy Division.

The Tuha Oilfield eastern Shanshan 1-gigawatt PV project is the first million kilowatt scale PV engineering endeavour of Tuha Oilfield. After introducing the installation robots, the site can now steadily lay more than 60 panels per hour per machine. "One robot matches the productivity of four skilled workers. Compared with traditional manual construction, labour input has been cut by nearly 50%, and the overall schedule can be shortened by more than 40 percent," said Sun Qiang, on site project manager at the PV project department of Tuha Oilfield's New Energy Division. He added that after the robots were deployed, construction quality, operational efficiency, and site safety have all seen comprehensive improvements.

Facing the sustained test of extreme heat, Tuha Oilfield has recently flexibly adjusted its construction work schedules: during the daily peak temperature window from 13:00 to 18:00, all hazardous outdoor operations such as heavy manual labour, work at height, and underground tasks are suspended. At the eastern Shanshan 1-gigawatt PV project site, a humanmachine collaborative construction model is being implemented. Previously, a purely manual crew could install at most 280 photovoltaic panels per day; with the collaborative approach, the daily installation volume has exceeded 600. In the hightemperature, sandy environment, the synergy between humans and machines effectively reduces the physical workload and safety risks for frontline workers.

Currently, the eastern Shanshan 1-gigawatt PV project has entered the largescale panellaying phase. The company plans to introduce three more PV installation robots to further accelerate construction, ensuring that the project successfully connects to the grid and begins generating power by the end of 2026.

(A written permission shall be obtained for reprinting, excerpting, copying and mirroring of the contents published on this website. Unauthorized aforementioned act shall be deemed an infringement, of which the actor shall be held accountable under the law.)