Nextracker OnSight is an AI-driven robotics inspection and hearth detection techniques for solar energy crops. | Credit score: Nextracker
Nextracker is launching a enterprise initiative centered on synthetic intelligence and robotics. The corporate has already invested over $40 million up to now 12 months to amass three key applied sciences and has appointed its first chief AI and robotics officer.
These strategic acquisitions will strengthen Nextracker’s digital platform, aiming to enhance the deployment and reliability of solar energy crops. The firm‘s final objective is to reinforce the long-term return on funding (ROI) for asset house owners.
“With thousands and thousands of sensors and management nodes already deployed over roughly 100 GW of working techniques in 40 international locations, Nextracker has a singular alternative to harness AI and robotics at scale,” said Dan Shugar, founder and CEO of Nextracker.
Nextracker appoints chief AI and robotics officer
Nextracker has appointed Dr. Francesco Borrelli as chief AI and robotics officer, a newly created govt position. A pioneer in predictive management techniques, Dr. Borrelli brings a long time of expertise creating and commercializing autonomous applied sciences throughout robotics, automotive, and industrial sectors.
In his new position, Borrelli will lead the combination of AI, machine studying, and superior robotics into Nextracker’s merchandise and methods to assist world scalability and long-term innovation.
“Dr. Borelli brings the imaginative and prescient and experience to guide this evolution, permitting us to ship deeper insights, well timed and incisive actions, and higher buyer ROI throughout our world expertise platform,” Shugar mentioned.
“Scaling photo voltaic to satisfy world power demand requires a brand new degree of autonomy in how we construct and function energy crops,” mentioned Borrelli. “I’m excited to affix Nextracker on this position and assist lead the combination of AI and robotics—turning discipline information into real-time motion that drives photo voltaic plant efficiency, reduces threat, and accelerates deployment.”
OnSight’s autonomous cellular robotic inspects photo voltaic panels throughout patrols at a photo voltaic farm. | Credit score: Nextracker
OnSight the newest expertise acquisition
As a key element of its digital and robotics platform, Nextracker acquired OnSight Expertisea pioneer in autonomous inspection and fire-detection techniques for solar energy crops. OnSight mentioned its AI-driven instruments allow predictive upkeep by figuring out and forecasting widespread mechanical and electrical failures, serving to asset house owners scale back operational threat, enhance uptime, and handle web site well being proactively.
OnSight’s crew of robotics engineers, discipline operations specialists, and product builders have joined Nextracker, and its merchandise are actually commercially accessible within the U.S. with a worldwide rollout deliberate for subsequent 12 months.
“Becoming a member of Nextracker is an thrilling new chapter for OnSight Expertise,” mentioned Derek Chase, CEO of OnSight. “From Day 1, our mission has been to carry superior robotics and intelligence into the photo voltaic discipline. Along with Nextracker, we will ship smarter diagnostics at scale to enhance response time, scale back threat, and strengthen ROI.”
Nextracker additionally introduced two beforehand undisclosed acquisitions. In August 2024, it acquired SenseHawk IPwhich permits the creation of high-resolution 3D as-built maps of photo voltaic mission websites utilizing AI-enabled drone-captured imagery. The maps assist exact geolocation and digital mannequin alignment to reinforce web site commissioning and integration with optimization software program similar to TrueCapture.
In March 2025, Nextracker acquired Amir Robotics, which has developed a light-weight, water-free robotic cleansing expertise designed for every day operation at large-scale photo voltaic websites. It’ll combine the system into its present information infrastructure to scale back soil-related yield loss. Amir Robotics’ robots are at present being examined at a number of industrial websites.
“Integrating robotics and AI into Nextracker’s expertise platform is a brilliant transfer,” mentioned Sheldon Kimber, CEO of Intersect Energy. “We have been early adopters of OnSight’s robotic inspection expertise and imagine that Nextracker has the experience and world footprint to scale some of these services to multi-gigawatt deployment ranges.”
Be taught extra about discipline robotics at RoboBusiness
Don’t miss discussions by trade leaders in discipline robotics on the upcoming RoboBusiness 2025 convention on Oct. 15 and 16 in Santa Clara, Calif.
Classes will embrace:
