Introduction

In 2022, China’s PV industry continued its rapid growth, and agrivoltaics—a typical model integrating photovoltaics with agriculture—achieved critical breakthroughs in technology, policy, and market dynamics. As the “backbone” of PV power stations, mounting structure innovations directly determine the feasibility and economics of agricultural PV projects. From large-scale deployment of flexible mounting systems to the maturation of intelligent tracking systems, from hundred-megawatt project implementations to continued overseas market expansion, the agricultural PV mounting sector in 2022 underwent multi‑dimensional, deep‑seated changes. This article systematically reviews the major news and technological advances in agricultural PV mounting during 2022, offering industry practitioners a comprehensive annual recap and reference.

I. Policy Tailwinds: Intensive Central Government Support in 2022

In 2022, multiple central government ministries and commissions issued intensive policies, providing a strong institutional foundation for agrivoltaics.

January 2022 – The National Energy Administration (NEA), Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, and National Administration for Rural Revitalization jointly issued the Implementation Opinions on Accelerating Rural Energy Transformation to Boost Rural Revitalization, which explicitly encouraged energy enterprises to leverage their capital and technical advantages to build “PV + modern agriculture” and promote “new energy + ecological restoration” models in suitable regions. It supported forest‑PV and grassland‑PV complementary models in forest and pastoral areas, opening a policy channel for agricultural PV mounting market expansion.

October 2022 – In its reply to Proposal No. 00454 of the Fifth Session of the 13th National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), the NEA clearly stated: “Agri‑PV and grassland‑PV complementary development are important directions for PV composite development. We actively support agrivoltaic and grassland‑PV complementary models.” The NEA also disclosed that it had conducted field research in Ningxia and Inner Mongolia together with the National Forestry and Grassland Administration, concluding that “scientific, standardised, and orderly development of ‘grassland‑PV complementary’ and ‘agri‑PV complementary’ projects on degraded, sandy, and saline‑alkali land can improve the ecological environment, enhance grassland quality, and increase crop yields.”

November 2022 – The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology and four other ministries jointly issued the Notice on Launching the Third Batch of Smart PV Pilot Demonstration Activities, listing agricultural applications as a priority, including agrivoltaics, orchard‑PV, and fishery‑PV complementary models in facility agriculture, large‑scale planting and breeding, and aquaculture.

December 2022 – Yunnan Province released the Yunnan Three‑Year Action Plan for the Development of the Smart PV Power Station Equipment Industry (2022‑2024), identifying smart solar trackers as a key link in the whole industry chain.

The intensity and degree of policy support were unprecedented. Joint issuance by three or five ministries, coupled with a dedicated NEA reply, marked that agrivoltaics had officially moved from a pilot exploration phase to a policy‑driven, scaled development phase.

II. Technological Innovation: Flexible Mounts Lead Agrivoltaic Transformation

2.1 Flexible Mounting Systems – A “Game Changer” for Land‑Use Integration

In 2022, flexible PV mounting technology achieved breakthrough progress, becoming the most watched technical route in agrivoltaics. Traditional fixed mounts have dense columns and low ground clearance, failing to meet agricultural mechanisation needs. Flexible mounts, with large spans, high clearance, and fewer columns, completely change this situation.

Tongwei New Energy Flexible Mounting System – In June 2022, Tongwei announced a major upgrade to its flexible mounting system. Based on a pseudo‑string‑cable truss structure and a Cross‑Tie transverse vibration‑damping system, it achieved a world‑record zero‑deflection module installation plane with single spans >40 m and continuous spans up to 920 m. Economically, the number of pipe piles per MW was reduced to <50, and steel consumption per MW to <15 tons – one‑sixth and one‑third of conventional fixed mounts, respectively. The system passed the industry’s most stringent aeroelastic wind tunnel tests, and its proprietary Cross‑Tie technology reduces wind‑induced vibration by up to 98%, capable of withstanding typhoons up to Category 13.

Huiyao Pinshang Energy Technology Cable‑supported Flexible Mount – In December 2022, the company completed a pre‑A round of financing of tens of millions of RMB, led by Zhejiang Venture Capital. Its self‑developed cable‑supported flexible PV mounting system creates a stable, safe spatial structure through custom design and algorithmic modelling, enabling true “PV + industry” integration for agrivoltaics, forest‑PV, and fishery‑PV. The system has been recognised by major owners such as CHN Energy, Datang Group, SPIC, LONGi, and Trina Solar.

DAS Solar PV Flexible Mount – In December 2022, at the 18th China SoG Silicon and PV Power Generation Seminar (CSPV), DAS Solar hosted a sub‑forum on “Large‑span Flexible Mount Technology and Multi‑scenario Applications.” He Chuntao, R&D Director of DAS Solar, detailed four flexible mount product families and demonstrated the three technical advantages of “high clearance, low cost, large span.” DAS Research Institute pairs flexible mounts with double‑glass, double‑sided, steel‑framed N‑type TOPCon modules as an “anti‑microcrack perfect match,” driving genuine, solid PV composite projects.

Changjiang Institute of Survey, Planning, Design and Research (CISPDR) Flexible Mount – In October 2022, CISPDR announced that its self‑developed flexible PV mounting system had been applied in Guangxi. Span lengths typically range from 20 m to 40 m, up to 100 m, and modules can be 2 m to 30 m above ground. The team proposed the innovative concept of “rigid whole of module purlins, flexible cable support,” filed over 10 patents (3 granted), and expected its flexible mount applications to exceed 100 MW in 2022.

Elion Large‑span Smart Mounting System – In June 2022, the Elion Kubuqi PV desert‑control project achieved multiple “PV+” benefits using its self‑developed large‑span smart mounting technology. Li Yongpeng noted that with this technology, agriculture under the panels can be fully modernised, mechanised, and intelligently unmanned.

2.2 Tracking Mounts – Smart Upgrades Driving Agrivoltaic Efficiency

Tracking mounts follow the sun in real time, significantly boosting power generation efficiency, and offer unique advantages in agrivoltaic scenarios.

Antai New Energy “SkyWings” Tracking Mount – In November 2022, Antai supplied 175 MW of its “SkyWings” tracking mounts for Phase I of a 2 GW multi‑energy complementary renewable energy project in Guangxi. The project adopts a “PV + ecological agriculture” model for dual land use. The “SkyWings Cloud” tracker features a patented multi‑motor drive synchronous design, three times higher natural frequency, nearly twice the wind resistance of conventional designs, and has obtained IEC 62817 certification from TÜV NORD.

Trina Solar Vertex 670W + Tracker – In July 2022, Trina partnered with Shudao Group to build China’s first pilot project combining a “spoil ground” smart tracking PV system with high‑standard farmland construction in Panzhihua. The project uses Trina’s “Vanguard” 1P tracker, with up to 120 modules per tracker, achieving a 10‑15% generation gain via its smart tracking system.

Jusheng Technology Smart Tracking Algorithm – In April 2022, Jusheng released its “JLightPlus” smart algorithm, used with the “JProView” client, resolving three major contradictions of traditional tracking algorithms and effectively boosting power output.

Arctech (Chiko) Mounting Analysis – In December 2022, Yang Ying, General Manager of Arctech’s R&D Centre, stated at an industry conference that calculations show tracking mounts increase generation by 17.52% compared with fixed mounts. For agrivoltaic and fishery‑PV projects without curtailment, PV trackers are the preferred mounting solution.

2.3 Agri‑Greenhouse Mounts – Precisely Matching Crop Light Requirements

Several companies developed dedicated agri‑greenhouse mounting systems for agricultural planting scenarios, balancing power generation and crop growth.

GS Energy PV Agri‑Greenhouse Mount – In May 2022, GS Energy’s GS Agri‑Greenhouse Mount uses an all‑aluminium alloy structure, with a maximum design span of up to 6 m, allowing large farm machinery access. The R&D team designed layouts flexibly addressing the light requirements of different crops, ensuring both crop yield and power output. In August 2022, GS Energy supplied its “Smart Greenhouse” agri‑greenhouse mounting systems for more than a dozen farms in Japan’s Miyagi, Ibaraki, and Fukushima prefectures, with simultaneous construction at multiple sites.

Mibet Agri‑PV Mounting System – In January 2022, Mibet’s agri‑PV mounting system gained recognition in the demanding Japanese market, with over 10 projects gradually connected to the grid or under construction in Shizuoka, Aichi, Yamanashi, Fukushima, etc. The system uses aluminium alloy, a large‑span structural design, and a patented T‑slot, passing TUV testing with a minimum service life of 25 years.

Key Technical Parameters – Agricultural PV mounts differ fundamentally from conventional ground mounts. Traditional ground mounts typically have a maximum height below 2 m, while agricultural mounts require at least 3 m clearance to allow people, vehicles, and agricultural operations to pass underneath. Flexible mounts can raise modules to 10 m or even 30 m, creating conditions for mechanised farming and large machinery access.

III. Project Rollouts: Hundred‑Megawatt Agrivoltaic Projects Accelerate

In 2022, multiple hundred‑megawatt agrivoltaic projects entered construction or signing stages, triggering explosive growth in agricultural PV mounting demand.

3.1 Agri‑PV Projects

China Energy Engineering Corporation (CEEC) Yangjiang 350 MW Agri‑PV Project – In August 2022, the 350 MW project in Yangjiang, Guangdong, progressed smoothly, with land clearing of 1,450 mu and pipe pile construction on 450 mu completed. Total investment approx. RMB 1.684 billion. The project leverages intensive “power above, crops below” development, delivering about 350 million kWh of clean electricity annually.

Datang Liulin 100 MW Agri‑PV Project – In November 2022, the 100 MW project in Liulin, Shanxi, continued to advance, using domestic 540 Wp bifacial double‑glass monocrystalline silicon modules and fixed mounts, with 47 power generation units.

Laibin Xingbin District 150 MW Agri‑PV Project – In March 2022, the 150 MW project in Laibin, Guangxi, was signed, with total investment of RMB 800 million. By raising PV mounts, agricultural greenhouses for planting or aquaculture are built under the panels.

Chengde Agri‑PV Project – Started in 2022 with total investment of RMB 620 million and 100 MW capacity. Pile foundation construction on 800 mu and 20 MW of mount installation were completed, and total revenue from agriculture and PV generation after full completion is expected to reach RMB 450 million per year.

3.2 Grassland‑PV (Pastoral) Projects

Henan Jiaxian 150 MW Grassland‑PV Project – In November 2022, the 150 MW distributed grassland‑PV project in Tangjie Town, Jiaxian, Henan, entered construction. Located in hilly areas, the project uses flexible mounts that are terrain‑unconstrained, enabling full‑capacity generation on hillsides. It plans to build 20,000 m² of cattle sheds; Phase I will provide space for 3,000 red cattle, generate 27.5 million kWh/year, save 9,000 tons of standard coal, and reduce CO₂ emissions by 27,400 tons. This project created a new model combining red cattle farming with PV power stations – a typical flexible mount application in grassland‑PV.

China Resources Dingbian 50 MW Grassland‑PV Project – In April 2022, the 50 MW demonstration project in Dingbian, Shaanxi, received environmental approval. Among the 16 PV generation units, 3.5 units use single‑axis trackers, 12.5 units use fixed‑tilt flexible mounts, with module clearance no less than 2.5 m.

3.3 PV Desert Control & Arid Agriculture Projects

Western Base Kubuqi 2 GW PV Desert Control Project – In June 2022, the 2 GW project – China’s largest PV desert control base – accelerated. Elion’s self‑developed large‑span smart mounting technology enables mechanised, intelligent, unmanned agriculture under the panels. The project simultaneously implements under‑panel planting and breeding, curbing sand dune movement and improving soil.

3.4 Fishery‑PV Projects

Tongwei Tianmen Phase I 100 MW Fishery‑PV Project – In June 2022, the Phase I 100 MW project in Tianmen, Hubei, used a full flexible mounting system, achieving “power above, fish below” integrated utilisation. Tongwei New Energy has developed 48 fishery‑PV bases in over 20 provinces and cities, with grid‑connected capacity exceeding 2.7 GW.

3.5 Overseas Projects

GS Energy Japan Agri‑Greenhouse Projects – In August 2022, GS Energy supplied agri‑greenhouse mounting systems for more than a dozen farms in Miyagi, Ibaraki, and Fukushima prefectures, maximising power generation while ensuring crop light requirements.

Mibet Japan Agri‑PV Projects – Mibet’s agri‑PV mounting systems have been connected or started construction on over 10 projects in Shizuoka, Aichi, Yamanashi, Fukushima, etc., passing TUV testing and gaining high recognition in Japan.

IV. Market Trends: Agrivoltaics Enters High‑Growth Track

4.1 Installed Capacity & Market Size

As of October 2022, China had built 513 PV agriculture projects with total installed capacity of 31.19 GW, averaging 60.8 MW per project. By type, agri‑PV and fishery‑PV accounted for the highest shares (37% and 33%). Geographically, the east is stronger than the west. After the “dual‑carbon” goal was announced in 2020, both project numbers and capacity rebounded significantly, reflecting dual policy‑ and market‑driven forces.

Globally, the agrivoltaics market was valued at approximately USD 1.7688 billion in 2022 and is expected to grow at a CAGR of around 22.93%.

4.2 Technology Trends

Based on 2022 developments, agricultural PV mounting shows three major trends: first, flexible mounts are rapidly gaining adoption – their large span, high clearance, and fewer columns make them the mainstream choice for agrivoltaic projects; second, smart tracking technology continues to penetrate, boosting generation by 10‑17% and gradually spreading in agrivoltaic scenarios; third, agri‑greenhouse mounting systems are becoming more refined, enabling customised designs for different crops’ light requirements.

Arctech’s analysis suggests that for desert, agri‑PV, and fishery‑PV projects, PV trackers are the first choice; for high‑wind regions, a combination of fixed and tracking mounts can be considered; for mountainous areas with complex terrain, fixed mounts are preferred for slopes within 30°, while large‑span flexible mounts can be used for slopes over 30° or where large machinery access is required.

4.3 Industry Financing

In December 2022, Huiyao Pinshang Energy Technology completed a pre‑A round of tens of millions of RMB, led by Zhejiang Venture Capital. The funds will be used to expand the cable‑supported flexible PV mounting market, develop next‑generation flexible systems, and provide smart O&M services for PV power stations. This financing event reflects strong capital market recognition of flexible mount technology prospects.