1. Technological Breakthrough: Key Hot-Dip Galvanizing Anti-Corrosion Technology Achieves Industrialization

In 2022, China's solar mounting industry achieved significant technological breakthroughs. On September 16, the Qinghai Provincial Department of Science and Technology announced a key achievement: the key results of the PV mounting hot-dip galvanizing anti-corrosion technology, jointly developed by Haixi Huahui Chemical Machinery Co., Ltd. in collaboration with the Qinghai Institute of Salt Lakes, Chinese Academy of Sciences, and Kunming University of Science and Technology, had successfully achieved industrial application.

This technology focused on developing new acid mist absorption resource utilization, bath liquid online iron ion purification, and other key processes, greatly optimizing the hot-dip galvanizing production process and effectively reducing "three wastes" emissions during production. This technology and its products have been widely applied in major projects of China Power Investment Corporation, Sinohydro Bureau 4, Zhejiang Energy Group, and others. A production line with an annual capacity of 50,000 tons has been built, achieving sales revenue of RMB 380 million by the end of 2021, reaping both economic and environmental benefits.

2. Industrial Upgrading: Leading Enterprises Build Full Industry Chain Advantages

In the 2022 industry competition, enterprises with a complete industry chain demonstrated strong market dominance. Taking Jiangsu Guoqiang Xingsheng Energy Technology Co., Ltd. as an example, the company has formed a complete industry chain covering high-end raw material manufacturing for PV mounting, processing, and hot-dip galvanizing.

On July 23, at the 4th China Household PV Conference 2022, Guoqiang Xingsheng won the "2022 China Rooftop Energy Accessories Influential Brand (Mounting)" award thanks to its excellent product reputation. Data shows that in the first half of 2022, China's total installed PV capacity reached 32.63 GW, of which Guoqiang Xingsheng's household PV mounting installations reached 3.2 GW, accounting for approximately 16% of the total. Currently, the company has three major manufacturing bases in Liyang (Jiangsu), Tangshan (Hebei), and Xinyang (Henan), with a peak annual capacity of 32 GW and a cumulative delivery volume exceeding 60 GW, serving customers in more than 10 countries and regions worldwide.

Additionally, at the 2022 China International PV Industry Summit held in August, Guoqiang Xingsheng also released a new type of double-cable cross-tension flexible mounting technology, further enriching its product matrix.

3. Market Insights: Galvanizing Cost Accounts for 7.4%, Material Innovation Reduces Costs

From a cost perspective, hot-dip galvanizing occupies a non-negligible position in the total cost of PV mounting. According to a report released by the China Commerce Industry Research Institute in October 2022, in the cost structure of PV tracking mounts, steel accounts for the largest share at approximately 65%, while galvanizing costs account for about 7.4%. From a broader industry perspective, raw materials, outsourced hot-dip galvanizing, and related logistics costs together account for 95% of total mounting costs.

To reduce costs and improve efficiency, an important trend in material innovation in 2022 was the substitution of "zinc-aluminum-magnesium (ZAM) coating" for traditional hot-dip galvanizing. The processing cost of hot-dip galvanizing is approximately RMB 2,200 per ton. In contrast, using ZAM coating not only reduces material costs by about RMB 800 per ton due to a thinner coating, but its "self-healing" property also eliminates post-treatment processes and round-trip transportation costs, becoming an important direction for industry cost reduction.

4. Application Landscape: From Major Contract Wins to Overseas Exports

In 2022, hot-dip galvanized and ZAM-coated mounting structures were widely used in various complex application scenarios, demonstrating strong adaptability.

In large-scale domestic base projects, the Huadian Kuche 550 MW power generation project undertaken by SEPCO Electric Power Construction Corporation explicitly required hot-dip galvanizing for mounting columns and main beams. Guoneng Longyuan Environmental Protection Nanjing Co., Ltd. also launched its 2022 tender for galvanized PV mounting. The Baoying Luodong 70 MWp fishery-solar hybrid demonstration project of Beiqing PV also specified hot-dip galvanizing or ZAM coating for anti-corrosion treatment. In Huaneng Group's 2022-2023 PV mounting framework procurement, five leading companies including Trina Solar and Guoqiang Xingsheng won the bids, fully demonstrating the core position of top mounting companies in large-scale energy group procurement.

In terms of overseas exports, China's galvanized PV mounting and related materials demonstrated strong global competitiveness. In May 2022, HBIS Cheng Steel exported 10,000 tons of cold-rolled galvanized products to Brunei for local PV mounting construction. Powerway Renewable Energy, for the first time, shipped 80 MW of PV mounting to the Central European Plain via the China-Europe Railway Express, using double-column ZAM-coated mounts with an estimated annual carbon reduction of 96,000 tons.