I. Material Innovations: High-Strength Weathering Steel Leads Technological Upgrades

1. Pangang: Full-range high-strength weathering steel achieves mass production of 1.5mm ultra-thin gauge

In 2023, Pangang achieved a milestone breakthrough in steel for PV mounting systems. In April, Pangang Xichang Steel & Vanadium Co., Ltd. successfully produced and delivered hot-rolled high-strength weathering steel for PV mounting systems with a thickness of only 1.5mm and a tensile strength of 800MPa. According to Pangang, using this new product reduces the steel consumption for the same PV mounts to one-third of the original, significantly lowering customer costs. Due to the high addition of corrosion-resistant alloys and the ultra-thin gauge, such steel is prone to quality issues like copper embrittlement during rolling, making development extremely challenging.

In October, Pangang further announced that it had developed a full range of high-strength weathering steel plates for PV mounts, achieving stable production of super weathering steel with the thinnest gauge, highest strength, and highest corrosion resistance. Tests by authoritative institutions showed that Pangang’s super weathering steel can guarantee a uniform corrosion reduction of no more than 0.2mm on both sides over a 25-year period in standard C1–C3 environments without coating. Pangang also became one of only two domestic companies to issue a commitment that “the product can ensure 25 years of stable use for PV mounts.” To date, the project has formed core technologies with independent intellectual property rights, obtaining one Chinese invention patent, three Japanese invention patents, and six accepted Chinese invention patent applications.

2. Baowu/WISCO: World-first launch of super-weathering tie rod steel for PV mounts

In April, the PV mount super-weathering tie rod steel, independently developed by Baowu Central Research Institute and produced by WISCO, was launched globally. This product enables a coating-free, maintenance-free full life cycle, improving material toughness by over 150% and effectively reducing construction and operation costs of PV projects. Previously, PV mount tie rods were mainly made from low-grade steel grades that were cold-drawn and then hot-dip galvanized, a process that is lengthy, polluting, and prone to peeling of the thin galvanized layer, requiring regular maintenance and refinishing. The launch of this product opens a new path for the green and low-carbon development of the steel and PV industry chain.

3. Baosteel: Record orders for BSP series high-strength steel

Baosteel’s self-developed BSP series high-strength steel for PV mounts has gradually replaced hot-rolled plain materials and low-alloy materials after two years of product certification and batch application. In September 2023, orders for this series in East China reached a record high. Targeting problems such as low material grade, high steel consumption leading to high galvanizing costs and heavy pollution, Baosteel adopted green design concepts and advanced processes to develop new steel grades that feature “high strength with high workability, high corrosion resistance with economic cost,” creating the customized “BeKIND” brand for the industry.

4. Angang Steel: Launch of Q500C-YH high-strength steel for new energy PV mounts

In September, Angang Steel’s Bayuquan Branch successfully trial-produced and manufactured high-strength new energy PV mount steel model Q500C-YH, filling a product gap for the Angang Group. In addition to mechanical strength requirements, this product must also meet stringent demands such as resistance to low-temperature brittleness under extreme temperature differences and dimensional stability under thermal cycling.

5. Shandong Steel Group: PV mount steel reaches top tier of the industry

Shandong Steel Group continued to strengthen its efforts in PV mount steel during 2023. In the first quarter, Laiwu Branch developed and produced 18 new products including GF400/GF350 PV mount steel. In November, the Yinshan Steel Plate Plant of Shandong Steel’s Laiwu Branch successfully developed and delivered over 500 tons of GF500 high-strength PV mount steel, marking Shandong Steel’s entry into the top tier of the industry. Since 2022, Shandong Steel has cumulatively sold over 100,000 tons of PV mount steel in major grades such as GF350, GF400, and GF500.

6. Xingtai Delong: PV mount steel strength exceeds 500MPa

In October, Xingtai Delong announced that its PV mount steel had achieved a strength of 500MPa, a new technical breakthrough. Yang Zhigang, Director of the company’s Technology Center, noted that as integrated energy storage costs decline, PV projects are placing higher demands on cost-effectiveness, and the trend toward high strength, lightweight, and green solutions for PV mounts is becoming more pronounced. Thickness reduction, strength enhancement, and low-carbon environmental protection have become new characteristics of PV mount steel.

II. Solutions and Project Cases: Global Practice of Carbon Steel Mounts

1. Grace Solar: Carbon steel series mounts shine on the international stage

In 2023, Grace Solar prominently showcased its carbon steel series PV mounting solutions at several international exhibitions. At the Philippine International Solar Exhibition in May, Grace Solar launched its self-developed and upgraded Energy-Floor Mounting System – Carbon Steel Series, tailored for the Philippines’ high wind speeds and undulating terrain. Featuring elongated slot designs, the product offers good support, high stability, adaptability to complex terrain, and lower power station costs, making it an ideal choice for large-scale PV projects in the Philippines.

At Intersolar Europe 2023 in Munich, Germany, in June, Grace Solar presented its carbon steel series ground mounting systems and other products, signing multiple major strategic cooperation letters of intent with renowned European enterprises, utilities, and project developers, further expanding its influence in the European market.

2. Mibet: 11MW project in Aomori, Japan, using all-carbon steel mounts

In January 2023, Mibet completed an 11MW extra-high voltage ground PV power station in Aomori Prefecture, Japan, which was successfully connected to the grid. The project site features a sloped terrain on all sides and is subject to heavy snow and wind. Mibet adopted an H-shaped single-pillar all-carbon steel mounting solution with hot-dip galvanized surfaces, offering good load-bearing capacity, strong safety, and excellent corrosion resistance. This solution maintained structural stability under extreme conditions of wind speeds up to 34 m/s and snow depth of 150 cm, while also offering advantages such as high cost-effectiveness, adaptability to complex terrain, and short construction periods.

3. Mibet: 1.8MW PV carport in Bahrain using hot-dip galvanized carbon steel

In August, Mibet’s 1.8MW PV carport project in Bahrain successfully began operation. Located in a tropical desert climate near the sea with strong winds, the project used carbon steel for its high hardness and formability, with surfaces treated by hot-dip galvanizing to achieve a coating thickness meeting corrosion resistance requirements for coastal areas. Except for aluminum central clamps, all mounting structures were made of hot-dip galvanized steel, offering excellent formability and robustness. The project adopted a single-pillar carport structural design, covering approximately 15,700 square meters and generating about 2,951,400 kWh annually.

4. 3.77MW distributed PV station in Liuzhou Ningtie Automotive Industrial Logistics Park

In May, the 3.77MW distributed PV power station at Liuzhou Ningtie Automotive Industrial Logistics Park was successfully connected to the grid. The project, independently designed by a PV mount manufacturer with a full set of mounting solutions—including standing seam metal roof mounts, elevated carbon steel mounts for concrete roofs, inspection walkways, guardrails, and inverter mounts—fully utilized the logistics park’s rooftop space to achieve efficient power generation.

III. Market and Industry Chain Developments

1. Continued market growth

In 2023, China’s PV mounting market continued to grow. According to China Commercial Industry Research Institute, China’s PV mounting market size is expected to reach RMB 21 billion in 2023 and could rise to RMB 25.3 billion in 2024. Qianzhan Industry Research Institute is even more optimistic, forecasting a market size of nearly RMB 40 billion. In 2022, China added 87.41GW of new PV capacity, which would translate into about 4.85 million tons of new steel demand.

From a cost structure perspective, steel accounts for the largest share (over 60%) in PV trackers, followed by rotary reducers (12.1%), control boxes (9.9%), and galvanizing costs (7.4%). On average, each MW of PV capacity consumes about 25.33 tons of steel, of which C-channel steel accounts for 84.22%, steel pipes 11.64%, and angle steel 4.14%.

2. Deepening collaborative innovation in the industry chain

In December, Shandong Steel Group and Shandong Qian’gang Metal Technology Co., Ltd. held a signing and unveiling ceremony for a jointly established High-Quality PV Mount Steel Material Technology Innovation Collaboration Center. The center aims to integrate resources across the steel and PV mounting industry chains, deepen industry-university-research cooperation, and promote the development and application of high-quality PV mount steel materials. This partnership marks a new stage of collaborative innovation between steel enterprises and downstream mount manufacturers.

IV. Corporate Dynamics and Strategic Layouts

1. Arctech: Accelerating overseas capacity expansion

As a leading enterprise in PV trackers, Arctech demonstrated an active globalization strategy in 2023. During a Q3 earnings call, the company’s management stated that current PV tracker capacity is lower than other major PV components, and no oversupply exists. The company plans to rationally expand in the Middle East and Latin American markets based on market size, gradually building overseas PV mounting structural parts capacity in Saudi Arabia and Brazil to enhance self-manufacturing and delivery capabilities. By September 2023, the Saudi subsidiary was already in preliminary preparation.

2. Jiangsu Guoqiang: Leading the industry in shipments

According to the 2023 China PV Mounting Top 20 Enterprises list, Jiangsu Guoqiang Xingsheng Energy Technology Co., Ltd. ranked first in the industry with shipments of 20,148MW. The company has established four major manufacturing bases in Liyang (Jiangsu), Tangshan (Hebei), Xinyang (Henan), and Jiayuguan (Gansu), with an annual PV mounting product capacity of 45GW. Its products are exported to Europe, Latin America, the Middle East, Southeast Asia, and other regions, with cumulative production and installation of over 60GW of PV mounting systems.

V. Future Outlook

Looking back at 2023, the carbon steel solar PV mounting sector showed three major trends:

First, material upgrades driving reduction and lightweighting. The successful mass production of Pangang’s 1.5mm ultra-thin high-strength weathering steel, Baosteel’s batch application of BSP series high-strength steel, Angang’s launch of Q500C-YH, and WISCO’s global debut of super-weathering tie rods mark the transition of PV mount steel from the “plain material era” to the “high-strength weathering era.” Steel consumption can be reduced to one-third of previous levels, and the promise of 25-year maintenance-free service is gradually becoming a reality.

Second, green manufacturing concepts gaining deep acceptance. Coating-free, maintenance-free super-weathering materials significantly reduce pollution and energy consumption from hot-dip galvanizing processes, pushing the PV industry from “producing green energy” to “green manufacturing itself.” Leading enterprises such as Baowu and Pangang have already taken important positions in the green steel product system.