Ávila, Spain, July 1, 2025 (Lusa) - EDP plans to expand its pilot project for robotising solar power plants to around 25 facilities next year, according to Ana Paula Marques, the group’s administrator, during a visit to a hybrid plant in Spain.
Currently, the team is testing the pilot called Scale Up O&M at the Cruz de Hierro/Villacastín solar park, focusing on solar power plants to test technological solutions that enable efficiency gains in the operation and maintenance of assets.
“The idea is that next year we will already have around 25 plants testing this type of solution,” she said, stressing that the project is in its early stages but has global ambitions.
The aim is for most of the testing to take place in Europe, but the group is also evaluating robotisation solutions in Brazil and Singapore. “The United States is a critical geography for us, so we are looking at this issue across the group,” she said.
EDP’s investment, made with the company’s own resources, focuses on a data collection and processing platform that uses artificial intelligence to instruct robots responsible for tasks such as cleaning panels, controlling vegetation, or conducting thermal inspections by drone.
According to the administrator, this type of solution can lead to significant operational savings. “We are talking about a reduction of up to 80%, but over a universe that represents 20% of the cost type” of a solar park, she explained, adding that the focus is mainly on improving working conditions in remote environments or those with extreme temperatures.
When journalists asked the manager whether these savings would be reflected in the price of electricity for the end consumer, she emphasised that the direct impact would remain modest, while highlighting the gains in efficiency and safety for operational teams.
She preferred to focus on the importance of digitalisation in responding to extreme events rather than comment on the Iberian blackout that affected Portugal and Spain in April. “Without referring to the blackout specifically, I would say that automation and digitalisation solutions facilitate the creation of smarter networks and more efficient ways of operating. Energy will be an example of what can be done in this area,” she added.
The hybridisation of power plants that combine different renewable sources in the same location is also a priority for EDP. “We will present the new targets at our Capital Markets Day in November. Hybridisation is a key focus for the group, and we are committed to ensuring that all licensing moves forward under regulations, both from a regulatory and legislative point of view,” she said.
On the impact of the current geopolitical situation, including the conflicts in the Middle East, she acknowledged increased uncertainty but assured that EDP’s commitment to the energy transition remains firm. “The energy transition remains an imperative, and we will be here to continue working towards this goal.”
Currently, EDP produces more than 90% of its energy from renewable sources, including solar, with an installed capacity exceeding 6.2 gigawatts.
*** Lusa travelled at the invitation of EDP *** SCR/ADB // ADB.
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