Avaada signs $2 million robotic cleaning deal with Airtouch Solar

Avaada Group has signed a $2 million contract with Israel-based Airtouch Solar for the maintenance of its solar modules using robotic cleaning solutions. As part of this agreement, Airtouch will deploy its robotic solutions to dry clean the solar modules at Avaada’s Bhadla plant in Rajasthan and at Pangaon and Damangaon in Maharashtra.

Airtouch will supply and install robots for an amount of $0.6 million in several mutually agreed milestones of these projects. In addition, it will provide comprehensive annual maintenance for 25 years for an amount of $1.4 million.

“The agreement, for a period of 25 years, will include the supply, erection, testing, commissioning, operation and maintenance of Airtouch robotic cleaning systems at Avaada solar farms,” read a joint statement by Avaada and Airtouch Solar.

Kishor Nair, COO of Avaada Group, said, “The [Airtouch robotic technology solution] is easy to implement and optimizes losses due to soiling. By deploying these robots, we will be able to save a valuable 80 to 100 K-litres of water per MW annually, besides experiencing significant gains in generation and revenue and a much faster cleaning cycle.”

Airtouch’s agreement with Avaada follows its $940,000 contract with Indian developer Hero Future Energies in May.

Tal Laufer, CEO of Airtouch Solar, said, “We continue to expand our activity in India which is one of fastest growing markets in the world. The orders we have received from the leading developers like Avaada is a testimony to quality and reliability of Airtouch robots. The local production, logistics, service and sales infrastructure established over the past years, has enabled proximity to clients as well as improved quality of service and response time.”