Automation is rapidly garnering momentum in businesses across diverse industries as it is the key to gaining continued reductions in resource use, as well as creating crucial data to empower future gains and improved sustainability reporting. While the world’s focus is now shifted towards making places greener, it is now discussing what impact automation will have on the sustainability sector?

Automation typically consists of the use of computer software, machines or other technology to perform tasks that would generally be handled manually by human workers. Robots are one such automation tool, which have been programmed to implement a series of tasks independently or semi-autonomously. With every passing time, the tasks to be done in the renewable energy sector have surged and are becoming complex engineering challenges. So, leveraging the application of robots and automation can save time, boost productivity and optimize performance.

Leveraging Automation to Foster Sustainability

Automation technology can assist companies in the field of solar energy manufacturing to make smart and prompt production decisions that lower the cost of labor and improves productivity. Jinkosolar, for instance, is a solar energy company that claims to be the largest manufacturer of solar photovoltaics in the world. The company produces a new model of solar cells, named the p-type monocrystalline perc solar cell, which currently holds the new record for solar cell efficiency at 23.45 percent, compared to its previous record of 22.78 percent.

Robotics and automation technology can also draw a massive impact on major aspects of wind turbine manufacturing. In this space, wind turbine blades and their turbine towers are two imperative aspects. As the manufacturing of wind towers is extremely intricate and time-consuming, ABB, an automation company, which works in the manufacturing of both aspects uses the application of robotics and automation. Both technologies in the wind turbine space are significant if the quality of the production must be consistent.

For buildings, automation technology can be constructive as automated buildings reduce waste and risk. The technology for buildings can frequently check the environment and seek ways to save resources. An automation system, for instance, might automatically turn on or off the lights of a room as per the requirement. It could also maintain the temperature of a thermostat. Thus, integrating automation technology within a home can ensure occupants live as safely and sustainably as possible by minimizing energy waste.

Already, there are a large number of industries exploring and harnessing the power of automation. The manufacturing industry is one of the leading adopters of automation technology as it largely relies on automated systems to streamline their processes and boost productivity.

Conversely, the Agriculture sector is also now on the way to become a major adopter of these systems as many indoor farms are increasingly automated. The key reason to use this tech in this space is to curtail the use of water, against conventional farming. Also, the use of sensors helps monitor several factors like water usage and light, and ensures that the crops only get what they require. So, the increasing use of automation technology may lead to an effective transition to what really sustainability means for companies across industries.