Singapore’s JTC Solar Roof 2 Project: A Benchmark Application of HDG Perforated Cable Trays

In 2023, Singapore launched its landmark JTC Solar Roof 2 project, aiming to significantly boost the nation’s renewable energy capacity. The project not only underscores Singapore’s commitment to sustainable development but also showcases innovative engineering solutions – particularly the use of hot‑dip galvanized (HDG) perforated cable trays in the PV system.

The project team selected HDG perforated cable trays as the core component for cable management during the design phase. The choice was driven by their proven durability and corrosion resistance, making them ideal for outdoor applications, ensuring long‑term operational life of the PV system and greatly reducing maintenance needs. The perforated design enables efficient cable management and ventilation/heat dissipation, which is critical for maintaining PV module performance.

For this project, suppliers were required to strictly adhere to the delivery schedule set by the JTC Solar Roof 2 project. This demanded meticulous planning and coordination among stakeholders such as engineers, contractors, and suppliers. The successful integration of HDG perforated cable trays not only enhanced the structural integrity of the PV installation but also contributed to the overall aesthetics of the project site. The project serves as a model for how innovative materials can support environmental goals in sustainable urban development in Singapore.

II. Japan’s 2MW DIY PV Mounting Project: Flexible Use of Scaffolding HDG Pipes

In May 2023, a 2MW solar mounting system project in Japan demonstrated another innovative path for HDG materials. The project creatively used scaffolding HDG pipes as the mounting structure, allowing DIY cutting and fixing at the installation site.

Scaffolding is typically used as temporary construction equipment, but in this project it was repurposed for a solar mounting system. The structure was built using scaffolding pipes, connectors, solar ground screws, and module clamps. The client’s core requirement was the ability to cut and adjust pipes on‑site, enabling customization of the mounting structure to specific needs – an approach that does not even require advanced structural design, making it a flexible and cost‑effective solution for large‑scale solar power installations.

The project validated several advantages of scaffolding HDG pipes:

High load‑bearing capacity: a single pipe column can support 15kN to 35kN

Easy installation and disassembly: the adjustability of steel pipes allows fast and efficient assembly

Significant cost effectiveness: compared to aluminum alloys, processing is simpler and material costs are lower

III. Material Revolution: Breakthrough Year for Zinc‑Aluminum‑Magnesium and Rare‑Earth Alloys

2023 was not only a big year for HDG mounting applications, but also a breakthrough year for PV mounting material technology. Beyond traditional hot‑dip galvanizing (HDG), new‑generation zinc‑aluminum‑magnesium (ZAM) and rare‑earth multi‑alloy coating materials began entering the market at scale.

1. China’s First Hot‑Dip Zinc‑Aluminum‑Magnesium‑Rare‑Earth Multi‑Alloy Steel Plate Rolled Out in Baotou

In October 2023, China’s first hot‑dip zinc‑aluminum‑magnesium‑rare‑earth multi‑alloy steel plate product was successfully developed and rolled out in Baotou City, Inner Mongolia. All product properties and quality met requirements, marking a major technological breakthrough in the field of hot‑dip zinc‑aluminum‑magnesium coatings.

The product was jointly developed by Inner Mongolia Biaoda and the China Iron & Steel Research Institute Group. The continuous hot‑dip zinc‑aluminum‑magnesium‑rare‑earth multi‑alloy coated steel plate offers corrosion resistance more than 10 times higher than conventional hot‑dip galvanized materials, reaching world‑advanced and domestic leading levels. As a new generation of high‑efficiency, resource‑saving composite material, the launch of this product fills a gap in Baotou’s PV mounting raw materials and deep processing of terminal PV equipment, greatly promoting the extension, supplementation, and strengthening of the PV industry chain.

Notably, the project deeply integrates Baotou’s steel industry with the city’s advantages as the “Rare‑Earth Capital of the World” and “Green Silicon Capital of the World,” creating a full‑industry‑chain synergy for PV products – a development of great significance.

2. Xinjiang Bayi Iron & Steel Achieves Batch Supply of 40,000 Tonnes of PV Steel

In 2023, Xinjiang Bayi Iron & Steel Co. also made breakthroughs in the PV steel sector. Leveraging regional advantages, the company successfully developed and produced Q235-GF, Q335-GF, and Q400-GF hot‑rolled PV steel. Starting in July, Bayi Steel began mass production of PV steel series products for market customers, achieving a supply of 40,000 tonnes – a “zero‑breakthrough” in R&D, production, and sales of PV steel products for Bayi Steel.

Bayi Steel partnered with Xinjiang神州Tong新材料公司 (Shenzhou Tong New Materials) to jointly develop cold‑rolled zinc‑aluminum‑magnesium products for PV applications. Based on the performance requirements of Shenzhou Tong’s ZAM strip production line, Bayi Steel formed an expert team to conduct full‑process R&D experiments – from molten steel composition in the steelmaking stage, to rolling properties in the hot‑rolling stage, to the final ZAM product properties. After multiple batches and small‑scale trial production, product properties and quality fully met customer requirements.

3. Baowu Group World’s First Launch of Super Weather‑Resistant Steel for PV Mounting Tie Rods

In April 2023, Baowu Central Research Institute announced a major development – the world’s first launch of super weather‑resistant steel for PV mounting tie rods. This product enables a coating‑free, maintenance‑free full life cycle for tie rods used in the PV industry, while improving material toughness by more than 150%.

This breakthrough addresses a long‑standing industry pain point: conventional PV mounting tie rods are mainly made of low‑grade steel cold‑drawn and then hot‑dip galvanized, which involves long production processes, severe pollution, and the traditional HDG coating is thin and prone to peeling – failing to meet the full‑life‑cycle requirements of PV projects and requiring regular maintenance. Baowu’s super weather‑resistant steel completely breaks this bottleneck, offering a “Baowu solution” for the PV industry to move from “manufacturing green” to “green manufacturing.”

IV. Market Demand: Major Players Like Three Gorges and CGN Launch Large‑Scale Mounting System Procurement

In 2023, the scale of demand in the PV mounting system market was fully reflected in the centralized procurement (tender) projects of several major energy groups, with HDG and ZAM materials becoming the absolute mainstream choice.

1. CGN New Energy 6GW Mounting System Tender

In October 2023, the results of CGN New Energy’s 2023‑2024 PV mounting system framework tender were announced, with a total of five companies winning bids for a total capacity of 6GW. Notably, the material ratio for each segment was clearly set at: onshore ZAM : onshore HDG : offshore mounting = 8 : 1 : 1. Assuming a weight of 4,000 tonnes per 100MW, this single tender corresponds to a steel demand of about 240,000 tonnes.

2. Three Gorges Group 5GW Fixed Mounting System Framework Procurement

In July 2023, Three Gorges Group launched its 2023 fixed PV mounting system framework tender, with an estimated total procurement capacity of 5GW and an estimated procurement weight of about 200,000 tonnes. The tender documents clearly required that mounting systems be made of hot‑dip galvanized or zinc‑aluminum‑magnesium steel.

Prior to that, in March 2023, Three Gorges Energy had launched a mounting system tender for three PV projects including Yongde Daxueshan, with an estimated procurement quantity of about 16,624.92 tonnes, also clearly requiring fixed mounting systems to be made of HDG or ZAM steel, primarily Q235B or Q355B grade or higher.

3. Jiuquan Hongxing: ZAM Steel Sheets Already Applied at Scale in PV Mounting Systems

In December 2023, Jiuquan Hongxing disclosed on an investor interaction platform that the company’s hot‑dip zinc‑aluminum‑magnesium steel sheets have been mainly used in scenarios such as PV mounting systems, communication base stations, offshore agrivoltaic projects, and cable tray pipe galleries – confirming that ZAM materials had entered large‑scale application in 2023.

V. Industry Outlook: From “HDG Dominance” to “Parallel Multi‑Technology Routes”

The industry developments in 2023 indicate that PV mounting systems are undergoing an evolution from single‑material to diversified, high‑performance solutions:

Traditional hot‑dip galvanizing (HDG) – with its mature industrial chain, reliable performance, and cost advantages – remains mainstream worldwide, especially in projects like Singapore’s JTC project, Japan’s 2MW project, and large‑scale ground‑mounted plants in China.

Zinc‑aluminum‑magnesium (ZAM) coatings – with their significantly improved corrosion resistance (especially self‑healing at cuts and scratches) and thinner coating thickness – are rapidly replacing traditional HDG and becoming the preferred option for new projects.

The breakthrough of rare‑earth multi‑alloys represents the next generation of material exploration, with corrosion resistance more than 10 times that of traditional materials, opening up possibilities for PV applications in extreme environments.

The emergence of super weather‑resistant steel points toward the ultimate vision of a “coating‑free” solution, potentially solving the full‑life‑cycle environmental and maintenance challenges of PV mounting systems.