Market Overview: Ground-Mounted Solar Enters a New Stage of High-Quality Development

In 2024, the global ground-mounted solar solutions market is being driven by both technological innovation and market expansion. As PV application scenarios extend from flat, open areas to complex terrains such as mountains, hills, tidal flats, and abandoned mining sites, traditional standardized mounting solutions are increasingly falling short of meeting diverse project requirements. At the same time, challenges such as land scarcity, rising labor costs, and frequent extreme weather events are pushing mounting system manufacturers to accelerate technological iteration, introducing innovative products with greater adaptability, installation efficiency, and cost advantages.

From a global perspective, the penetration rate of tracking systems in ground-mounted PV plants has exceeded 40%, and in some developed countries it is over 80%. This trend indicates that ground-mount solutions are shifting from "passive support" to "active contribution"—not only ensuring module stability but also helping to reduce the levelized cost of electricity (LCOE) and maximize lifecycle returns through intelligent tracking, rapid installation, and material innovation.

Part One: Product Innovation – New Launches Focus on Installation Efficiency and Labor Optimization

1.1 Clenergy Launches ST Ikon: Single-Person Installation Becomes Reality

In June 2024, global PV mounting manufacturer Clenergy officially introduced the PV-ezRack® SolarTerrace Ikon (ST Ikon) ground mounting system at Intersolar Europe 2024. Designed with the principles of "maximizing installation efficiency, ensuring durability, and providing flexibility," the system is tailored for commercial and utility-scale projects.

ST Ikon Core Innovations:

"The standout feature of ST Ikon is that it can be installed by a single technician," said Nathalie Kermelk, Product Director at Clenergy. "Our focus has always been on maximizing installation efficiency, ensuring durability, and providing flexibility—these are key aspects for large-scale solar deployment."

The system is designed to reduce the LCOE of PV projects by lowering initial capital expenditure, improving operational efficiency, and reducing maintenance costs. The streamlined design accelerates deployment, reduces the need for specialized skills and equipment, and thereby lowers upfront investment.

1.2 Nuance Energy Launches Residential Ground Anchor System: Concrete Alternative Gains Market Recognition

In December 2024, Nuance Energy Group released an industry report confirming that its patented ground anchor technology offers significant competitive advantages for residential ground-mount PV installations. The company's Osprey PowerRACK® uses metal ground anchors and cable systems as a replacement for traditional concrete foundations.

Competitive Advantage Data:

Installation Speed: Can be deployed within a single day, up to 4 times faster than traditional installations

Cost Efficiency: Installation cost reduced to an average of $0.025/W

No Heavy Machinery Required: Eliminates reliance on site surveys, concrete pouring, specialized machinery, and skilled labor

Pre-packaged Design: Ready-to-use out of the box, significantly reducing site preparation requirements

The report notes that traditional residential ground-mount PV projects rely on time-consuming and costly site surveys, concrete piles, heavy machinery, and skilled labor. Nuance's ground anchor technology fundamentally changes this paradigm, positioning it as one of the most cost-effective solutions in the U.S. market.

1.3 Grace Solar 2.5MW Carbon Steel Mounting Project Nears Completion

In July 2024, Grace Solar announced that its 2.5MW carbon steel ground mounting project in Bosnia and Herzegovina is nearing completion. The project uses a carbon steel adjustable mounting system, a cutting-edge product exhibited at Intersolar Europe 2024.

Project Highlights:

Expected annual carbon emission reduction of approximately 4,000 tons, equivalent to the carbon absorption of about 50,000 trees

Uses magnesium-aluminum-zinc coated steel with excellent corrosion resistance, wind resistance, and snow load capacity

R&D team innovated designs for complex sloping terrain, optimizing load distribution

Manufacturing center equipped with a smart roll-forming workshop enabling customized production

This project fully demonstrates the European market's demand for high-quality, highly adaptable ground mounting systems and sets a benchmark for Grace Solar's expansion in the European market.

Part Two: Technology Trends – Four Major Directions Steering Industry Transformation

In 2024, the PV mounting market exhibits four key "bellwethers" driving the industry toward greater efficiency, reliability, and sustainability.

2.1 Tracking Mounts: Multi-Point Drive and AI Algorithms Become Mainstream

Although the penetration rate of tracking mounts in China's ground-mounted power plants is only about 10%, it reaches as high as 70% in overseas markets. During the SNEC 2024 exhibition, at least 20 companies simultaneously showcased tracking system products, with competition intensifying.

Technology Evolution Directions:

Multi-Point Drive Design: Has become the mainstream trend, replacing traditional linkage designs, reducing on-site assembly complexity, and avoiding irreversible failure risks associated with mechanical linkages

AI Algorithm Integration: Incorporates weather and cloud cover data into control systems, improving tracking accuracy and efficiency

Wind Resistance Upgrades: Strong wind incidents damaging PV facilities in Yunnan, Shanxi, Shandong, and other regions in the first half of 2024 have prompted companies to strengthen wind tunnel testing and structural optimization

Representative Product: Guoqiang Xingsheng "SuGuang" Series

In June 2024, Guoqiang Xingsheng launched its new generation "SuGuang" tracking series at SNEC. The series features a multi-point electrical drive solution with no mechanical transmission, where each drive unit achieves independent control and dynamic interlocking.

"SuGuang" Series Technical Breakthroughs:

Zhang Min, R&D Director at Guoqiang Xingsheng, stated: "Combined with the new generation algorithm, the 'SuGuang' intelligent tracking system can enter wind protection mode in advance, improving wind resistance."

Trina Solar Initiative: Establishing New Quality Standards for Tracking Mounts

Ma Weiming, President of Trina Solar's Tracking Business Unit, proposed four initiatives at the 2024 China Energy Industry Development Annual Conference: establishing and promoting high standards, strengthening regulatory oversight, driving development through innovation, and policy guidance and support. He noted that tracking mounts can achieve power generation gains of 15%-20% by following the sun's trajectory, and combined with intelligent tracking systems can further improve plant revenue. Trina calls on the entire industry to build a "quality Great Wall" for tracking mounts and promote the formation of high-quality industry standards.

2.2 Flexible Mounts: Optimal Solution for Complex Terrain

As more projects shift to challenging terrains such as mountains, hills, and tidal flats, flexible mounts are emerging as a new market favorite. The National Energy Administration and the National Forestry and Grassland Administration encourage the use of large-span flexible PV mounts in desert control projects. Provinces such as Hunan, Guangxi, Shandong, and Shanxi are also providing broad development space for flexible mounts in the agrivoltaics sector.

Major manufacturers adopt different technical approaches: Antai Technology uses a "suspension bridge" structure, Guoqiang Xingsheng uses double-layer four-rope crossed cables, and DAS Solar uses pre-stressed cable structures.

2.3 Material Innovation: Steel Companies Make Cross-Border Moves

Traditional mounting materials (aluminum alloy, stainless steel, carbon steel) consume significant energy during production, transportation, and installation, while facing challenges such as poor corrosion resistance and heavy weight in extreme environments like deserts, gobi, and oceans. In response, steel companies are increasingly focusing on the PV mounting segment.

Representative New Materials in 2024:

Clenergy's ST MAC system has already adopted magnesium-aluminum-zinc (MAC) coated steel, which offers 5 to 10 times the corrosion resistance of traditional hot-dip galvanized steel and features self-healing properties.

2.4 Offshore PV Mounts: Corrosion Protection Technology Becomes Key

With provinces such as Shandong, Jiangsu, and Zhejiang introducing policies supporting offshore PV development, offshore PV mounts have become a new competitive focus. Currently, two main technical routes are being pursued: pile-based fixed mounts (suitable for shallow water) and floating systems (suitable for water depths >5 meters).

In terms of corrosion protection, methods such as cathodic protection, anti-corrosion coatings, and composite anti-corrosion techniques have emerged. New materials such as bamboo-based composites, jointly developed by CIMC Raffles and Zhonglin Green Carbon, are also in the experimental stage.

Part Three: Application Cases – From UK Farm to Tasmanian Alpine Site

3.1 UK 1.4MW Agrivoltaics Project: ST MAC System Performs Excellently

In September 2024, Clenergy announced that its ST MAC mounting system was successfully deployed in a 1.4MW solar farm project in the UK. The project is owned by Moulton Bulb Company (a grower of onions, shallots, and garlic) and was contracted by NerG Ltd.

Project Data:

Annual Power Generation: 1,476,000 kWh

Annual Carbon Reduction: 309 tons

Energy Contribution: Meets over 20% of the site's electricity demand

Modules: Canadian Solar

Inverter: Sungrow

Mounting System: ST MAC + screw pile foundations

The ST MAC system uses magnesium-aluminum-zinc coated steel with excellent corrosion resistance, while its simple design and minimal parts allow for rapid installation using basic tools. The dual-redundant module fastening method (bolt-nut fixation + module clamps) ensures excellent wind resistance even in typhoon-prone areas.

Ben Covell, Project Manager at NerG, commented: "The Clenergy ST MAC system is not only easy to work with but also exceptionally robust. Our team was able to install the system efficiently, and the screw pile foundations provided excellent stability even under challenging conditions."

3.2 Mount Owen Remote Communications Station, Tasmania: Withstanding Extreme Environments

In September 2024, pv magazine Australia reported on the completion of an off-grid energy system upgrade for a communications antenna at Mount Owen by BAI Communications. The project is located at an elevation of 1,146 meters near Queenstown on Tasmania's west coast and was delivered by the Australian branch of Dutch developer Photon Energy.

System Configuration:

21 kW solar array + 12 kW adjacent PV system

500W Sunpower modules

Clenergy SolarTerrace II-A + SolarTerrace III-A mounting systems

120 kWh BYD battery storage system + SMA Sunny Island inverters

Clenergy custom-designed a single-column STII-A system for this project, integrating its Mega Anchor system to optimize the installation process and eliminate the need to transport large amounts of concrete on hazardous mountain roads. The system withstood a severe storm with wind speeds of 141 km/h earlier this month.

Vince Mobilio, Vice President at Clenergy, stated: "At this altitude, designing and engineering a system capable of withstanding extreme wind loads was a major challenge. Seeing our robust and reliable system used in such a demanding environment is very exciting."

The project also achieved a key technological upgrade: BYD lithium batteries replaced lead-acid batteries of similar capacity but weighing approximately 10 tons, reducing the new system's weight by about half while significantly lowering carbon emissions from the on-site diesel generator.

Part Four: Market Landscape – Accelerated Overseas Expansion, Chinese Companies Speed Up Global Footprint

In 2024, the overseas expansion of Chinese PV mounting companies has noticeably accelerated. TrinaTracker has already built a mounting factory in Brazil and is planning to select a site for a factory in the US. Arctech and Antai New Energy have established PV mounting production bases in Saudi Arabia.

Guoqiang Xingsheng has formed eight major manufacturing bases in locations including Liyang (Jiangsu), Xinyang (Henan), and Jiayuguan (Gansu), with peak annual production capacity exceeding 70GW. Its products are exported to more than 30 countries and regions including Europe, Latin America, the Middle East, and Southeast Asia, with cumulative global shipments exceeding 100GW. The company plans to deeply enter the global tracker market in 2025 and aims to be among the top 10 global tracker suppliers by 2026.

Grace Solar's successful implementation of the 2.5MW project in Bosnia and Herzegovina further demonstrates the technical strength and project execution capabilities of Chinese mounting companies in the European market.

Future Outlook

Looking ahead to 2025 and beyond, the ground-mounted solar solutions market will exhibit the following development trends:

Intelligent Upgrades: Deep integration of AI algorithms and tracking systems will become standard, enabling precise weather forecasting and active protection

Material Revolution: High-performance materials such as zinc-aluminum-magnesium coated steel will gradually replace traditional galvanized steel as the mainstream choice for ground mounts

Installation Efficiency Revolution: Single-person installation, no heavy machinery, and pre-packaged designs will become core product considerations

Scenario Segmentation: Dedicated mounting solutions for specific scenarios such as agrivoltaics, fishery-solar hybrids, desert control PV, and offshore PV will continue to emerge

Global Expansion: Chinese mounting companies will deeply participate in global market competition through overseas factory construction and localized services

In a Nutshell

In 2024, ground-mounted solar solutions are undergoing a profound transformation from "standardized" to "customized" and from "passive support" to "active contribution"—technological innovation is making installations faster, costs lower, and adaptability stronger, providing a solid "backbone" support for the global energy transition.