Innovation at AES
AES Next
Meet the team of energy industry experts that are transforming critical insights into real-world solutions, tackling the sector’s biggest challenges and unlocking new opportunities.
Innovating for measurable impact
AES Next builds and invests in a portfolio of high-growth businesses and strategic partnerships that drive the global energy transition. By identifying key challenges and opportunities in the energy sector, we apply deep industry expertise to develop and scale breakthrough solutions—from pioneering energy storage to revolutionizing solar deployment—creating tangible value for our company, partners, and communities.
AES Next Portfolio
AES Next identifies select, strategic business opportunities and focuses on execution and scale. By following a proven approach to new growth and innovation, AES Next develops scalable ecosystems that create tangible, long term value, both for the business and the energy industry itself.
Maximo™: revolutionizing solar installation through robotics
To keep up with increased energy demand generated by AI, AES developed Maximo, the first AI-enabled solar robot for the end-to-end installation of solar modules. Maximo serves as a partner to solar construction teams, automating the strenuous heavy lifting of solar panels to accelerate solar installation.
Context & insight
By 2035, solar annual additions are expected to increase 3X, and the workforce will have to nearly double. Cost-competitive solar must be rapidly deployed to meet demand.
Action
AES developed Maximo to revolutionize solar panel installation, cutting both time and cost by half. Maximo accelerates the delivery of more megawatts in less time, utilizing a mobile microgrid and AI-enabled computer vision for precise module placement.
Outcome
- Over 10 MW installed to date
- Maximo to help build up to 5 GW of AES’ solar pipeline over the next three years
- Maximo has been deployed across the U.S.
- Will reduce “time to power” for data center and other customers by bringing project commercial operation dates forward
AI Fund: Co-building AI-powered startups
Through our partnership with Andrew Ng's AI Fund, we’re co-building AI-powered startups that accelerate the energy transition. By incubating investing in cutting-edge AI solutions, we’re not just adapting to the future of energy; we’re creating it.
Context & insight
To keep up with energy demand, the industry urgently needs solutions that optimize renewables and battery management, enhance worksite safety, and help renewable projects access clean energy finance. By combining AES’s energy expertise with AI Fund’s leadership in AI, we’re tackling some of the industry’s most pressing challenges faster and smarter than ever before.
Action
AES and AI Fund developed a fast-track incubation model to identify, fund, and launch AI-powered energy solutions. This agile, venture-driven approach ensures that the most impactful ideas get scaled quickly, so we can deliver next-level results for customers and the energy sector.
Outcome
- 3 companies co-founded in first year of partnership
- In just six months, our first startup progressed from concept to funding, with deployment at AES planned for 2025
Fluence: scaling energy storage
A global leader in grid-scale energy storage, Fluence is supercharging the clean energy transition with award-winning technology and AI-optimized solutions across 47 markets. Founded by AES and Siemens, Fluence continues to pioneer the industry, driving innovation to meet soaring energy demand.
Context & insight
Energy storage was viewed as risky, unknown technology when we first started pioneering the technology. We knew it had untapped potential that was key to unlocking a more sustainable – and reliable – energy future.
Action
AES was the first to go big into utility-scale batteries in 2007 and built one of the world’s largest battery fleets over the next decade. Siemens is one of the world’s biggest energy and grid technology providers. We joined together in 2017 to create the industry powerhouse Fluence, dedicated to innovating modern electric infrastructure.
Outcome
- IPO in 2021 at ~$1B
- 13.6 GW of energy storage deployed or contracted
- 26.6 GW of AI-optimized wind, solar and storage assets *deployed, contracted, or assets under management
- Recognized by Edison Electric Institute for launching the global energy storage industry
Uplight: Energizing customer experience for utility customers
Uplight energizes the utility customer experience with cloud-based energy solutions that drive savings, sustainability, and smarter energy use. Uplight now partners with more than 80 utilities, impacting over 110M homes and businesses to build the personalized, green grid of the future.
Context & insight
The industry needed a digital customer energy platform. We set out to create the digital, personalized grid of the future.
Action
AES’s journey with Uplight began with our investment in Simple Energy in 2018. We partnered with Simple Energy in the creation of Uplight, a merger with Tendril that has included 6 other acquisitions to form the most comprehensive suite of customer-facing solutions for electric and gas utilities.
Outcome
- $1.5B valuation in 2021
- 5GW flexible load under management
- Managed capacity for 120+ utility partners
- Over 100 MW in demand shifted in a single day $33M in utility rebates in 2024
5B: Faster, safer, and land-efficient energy
Together with 5B, we’re deploying up to 2X more solar energy 3X faster using 50% less land, making clean energy available in places previously thought impossible. We’re removing the barriers to widespread solar energy adoption, ushering in a new wave of customers to meet their short-term and long-term clean energy goals.
Context & insight
To deliver more solar, the industry needed a rapidly deployable solution that could produce more energy on the same amount of land.
Action
We partnered with 5B, a solar technology innovator, on a mission to transform the world’s energy sources by delivering world-class technology that makes clean energy more competitive and accessible than ever before.
Outcome
- 162 MWdc solar MAVERICKS.
- 168 projects.
- Expanded into US, Latin America, Asia, and Australia.
- 1 GW deployed across 9 international markets in the near-future.