1. Trackers: Market Restructuring, AI Algorithms Become Standard

1.1 Global Shipments Exceed 100 GW for First Time, Chinese Manufacturers Rise

In 2024, the global PV tracker market set a new record, with total annual shipments increasing by 20% year‑on‑year to reach 111 GW – surpassing the 100 GW milestone for the first time. Chinese manufacturers performed particularly strongly: Arctech jumped from 5th place globally in 2023 to 2nd, increasing its global market share from 9% to 16%, with shipments of 17.41 GW (up 127.93% year‑on‑year); TrinaTracker remained 6th globally, with shipments of 7.3 GW; Antai New Energy entered the global top 10 for the first time, ranking 9th with shipments of 2.55 GW (up 40% year‑on‑year). Chinese manufacturers now occupy three seats in the global top 10.

At the SNEC 2024 exhibition, at least 20 companies simultaneously showcased tracker products, with multi‑point drive design becoming the mainstream trend. On the technology front, companies increasingly integrated weather data, cloud cover changes, and AI algorithms into their control systems to improve accuracy and efficiency.

1.2 Regional Divergence: Middle East Surges, China Has Huge Potential

In 2024, the US market shipped 33 GW, a 9% decline year‑on‑year – the first drop in eight years. The Middle East shipped 15.4 GW, a year‑on‑year increase of 205%. Europe shipped 22.95 GW, with TrinaTracker ranking 4th with a 10% market share – the best ever performance by a Chinese company in Europe. In contrast, China‘s tracker installations were only 3.604 GW, a 13% year‑on‑year decrease, accounting for just 3% of the global total – a huge growth potential compared to penetration rates exceeding 80% in the US, Middle East, Latin America, and other regions.

1.3 Technology Breakthroughs: AI Algorithms and Electrical Upgrades

TrinaTracker‘s latest‑generation intelligent control solution, launched in 2024, combines an intelligent electronic control system, the SuperTrack intelligent tracking algorithm, and the Trina Smart Cloud monitoring platform, achieving highly integrated hardware and software. The SuperTrack algorithm collects data on irradiance, seasonal changes, and ground conditions, and incorporates patented bifacial irradiation and micro‑shading modelling technologies. It optimises generation efficiency for complex terrain and high‑scattering irradiance conditions, achieving generation gains of up to 8%.

Mibet‘s new tracker system, showcased at SNEC 2024, uses a “rotary + multi‑push‑rod” multi‑point parallel drive design, solving the problems of main shaft misalignment and wind‑induced vibration caused by long single‑side cantilevers. It also incorporates advanced AI algorithms to effectively track the optimal solar angle and increase system generation efficiency.

2. Flexible Mounts: From Proof‑of‑Concept to Large‑Scale Replacement

In 2024, flexible mounts completed a critical transition from a “niche technology” to “large‑scale replacement”. Flexible mounts offer lower pile density, larger spans, and higher clearance, making them perfectly suited for complex terrains such as deserts, gobi, steep mountains, wastewater treatment plants, and fish ponds.

2.1 Technical Route Convergence: Spatial Cable‑Net Structure Becomes Standard

Current flexible mounts mainly use spatial structures such as “suspension, tension, hanging, bracing, compression”, with different manufacturers adopting distinct technical approaches – Antai Technology uses a “suspension bridge” structure, Guoqiang Xingsheng uses a double‑layer four‑cable cross‑string, DAS Solar uses a pre‑stressed cable structure, etc. On the policy front, the National Energy Administration and the National Forestry and Grassland Administration encouraged the use of large‑span flexible PV mounts in desert control projects. Several provinces, including Hunan, Guangxi, Shandong, and Shanxi, also provided broad development space for flexible mounts in agrivoltaics and other fields.

2.2 Major Project Validation: Withstood Category 17 Typhoon

DAS Solar‘s flexible PV mounts at the 70 MW fishery‑solar hybrid project in Ding’an Longhu, Hainan, withstood Super Typhoon Yagi (Category 17) – the project site was only about 30 km from the typhoon‘s path – and remained stable. The mounts use a spatial cable‑net structure, with pre‑stressed tension controlling mid‑span sag in the east‑west direction and a stabilising cable‑rod system in the north‑south direction forming an integrated structure. They passed rigorous wind tunnel tests at Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, performing excellently at wind speeds of 46 m/s without torsional instability caused by wind‑induced vibration.

2.3 Diverse Applications, Significant Pile Reduction

HYPSET‘s three‑cable space‑truss flexible PV mounting system can increase installed capacity by 30‑50% in different scenarios while fully freeing up space underneath. It has been widely deployed in mountain agrivoltaics, fishery‑solar hybrids, coastal tidal flats, desert/gobi/wasteland areas, and commercial & industrial distributed PV, achieving large‑scale replacement of traditional fixed mounts in most scenarios.

The Haikou Meilan fishery‑solar hybrid power generation project innovatively applied a large‑span flexible mount design, with a maximum span of 41 m – the largest single span for a flexible mount in China‘s coastal typhoon zone. NengHui Technology‘s flexible PV mount system, showcased at SNEC, is not limited to single‑layer cable, double‑layer cable, fish‑belly cable truss, or beam‑string structures. Instead, it provides standardised flexible mount design services through a six‑step process – layout, material selection, modelling and calculation, structural analysis, foundation design, and construction drawing production – tailored to each project‘s specific characteristics.

3. Material Innovation: Zn‑Al‑Mg Coatings Lead a Corrosion Revolution

In 2024, Zn‑Al‑Mg coated steel moved from “optional” to “standard” in ground‑mount PV racking.

3.1 High‑Strength Zn‑Al‑Mg Enables Lightweighting

Shanxi Jianlong successfully developed 550 MPa high‑strength Zn‑Al‑Mg strip steel S550GD+ZM. Compared to traditional materials, it allows PV mount purlin thickness to be reduced to 1.8 mm and column thickness to 2.0‑2.5 mm, with an overall weight reduction of 12%, effectively lowering material cost and installation difficulty. Coating weight not less than 275 g/m² provides reliable protection for PV mounts for more than 25 years.

3.2 Full Grade Coverage and Extreme‑Environment Certification

Pangang achieved full grade coverage of medium‑aluminium Zn‑Al‑Mg products for PV applications, from 250 MPa to 550 MPa. Its products showed no red rust after 4,000 hours of neutral salt spray testing and are warranted for 30 years of service. HBIS Group Hansteel‘s medium‑aluminium Zn‑Al‑Mg products passed SGS testing and certification for C5 harsh environment applications, gaining access to leading international PV companies.

3.3 Industry Standard Issued

In December 2024, the industry standard T/CSTA 0077‑2024 “Continuously hot‑dip zinc‑aluminium‑magnesium alloy coated steel strip for PV mounts” was officially released, providing a unified technical specification for the production, sale, and use of galvanised and Zn‑Al‑Mg coated steel strip for PV mounts.

4. Rail‑less and Fast‑Install Systems: Installation Efficiency Revolution

4.1 Rail‑less Ballasted Systems

In 2024, rail‑less ballasted systems rapidly spread in the flat‑roof sector. Clenergy‘s PV‑ezRack Ascent 1.1 is a low‑ballast, north‑south oriented rail‑less flat‑roof mounting solution with tilt angles of 10° and 15°, accommodating modules up to 1150×2400 mm. The system uses a snap‑in technique for tool‑free installation, aerodynamic optimisation through wind tunnel testing to reduce ballast requirements, and pre‑installed mid and end clamps to reduce the number of component types.

Mibet‘s Flax S10 full‑wind‑deflector matrix system can be installed on flat roofs without penetration. It uses multi‑faceted wind deflection and short‑side module fixation, and allows tool‑free assembly of system connectors using positioning jigs, improving on‑site installation efficiency. Three ballasting options are available to suit different environmental requirements.

4.2 Rail‑less Corrugated Steel Roof Mounts

A rail‑less PV mount for corrugated steel roofs was disclosed, using an inverted U‑shaped clamping plate that locks onto the roof ribs without drilling, avoiding damage to the roof.

4.3 Balcony Solar Bracket Innovations

Balcony bracket systems are designed with residential needs in mind, using a triangular structure to fasten to the balcony and a telescopic mechanism to flexibly adjust the module angle, improving solar energy conversion. Jackery‘s Navi 2000 achieves “0 drilling, 3 cables, 5‑minute plug‑and‑play” DIY installation through disruptive design innovation.

5. Offshore PV and BIPV: Emerging Scenarios Accelerate Deployment

5.1 Offshore PV Mounting Technology Breakthroughs

Mibet showcased offshore PV technology for the first time at SNEC 2024. The system uses a “steel + inorganic inert float” structure, offering high strength, corrosion resistance, and ageing resistance. The rigid‑flexible combination design ensures system stability and reduces wave impact. The G5A floating system uses a “high‑density polyethylene (HDPE) float + aluminium rail” structure. The floats have passed industry tests for impact resistance, UV ageing, etc., and the modular design facilitates installation.

Sungrow Floating PV Technology obtained a patent for a “floating PV platform”, effectively preventing support rods fixed at float connection points from entering the water, reducing the risk of seawater corrosion.

5.2 BIPV Carport Systems

Mibet‘s BIPV carport system features multiple waterproofing technologies – structural, sealing strip, and design. The combination of dual rails, gutters, and sealing strips forms a tight structure that blocks rainwater penetration.

6. Smart Installation and O&M Tools

6.1 AI‑Driven Plant Design Tools

In 2024, digital tools were widely used in C&I project design. AI‑driven analysis tools help optimise module layout, achieving global optimisation of “optimal module arrangement, largest system capacity, and highest generation efficiency”. NengHui Technology, in its flexible mount design, uses professional PV software such as Pvsyst, Meteonorm, and Solargis for generation analysis, 3D software such as Candela3D and South Cass for terrain analysis and simulation, and structural design software such as 3D3S and MIDAS for modelling and analysis of the mounting system, providing customised flexible mount solutions for each project.

6.2 Adjustable Mounting Brackets

Baorunda obtained a patent for an “adjustable mounting bracket”. A recirculating servo electric push cylinder is designed at the bottom of the inclined support plate. A control switch is connected via a power cable and an inverter to the solar panel fixed above the inclined support plate. The inverter converts solar energy into electrical energy stored in a battery, supplying the DC power required by the recirculating servo electric push cylinder, requiring no external AC power.

7. 2024 Innovation Trend Summary

2024 was a pivotal year for the PV mounting industry, transitioning from “functional components” to “technology carriers”. Trackers use AI algorithms to drive generation gains; flexible mounts use spatial cable‑net structures to conquer complex terrain; Zn‑Al‑Mg coated materials use self‑healing properties to improve corrosion resistance; rail‑less systems use fast‑install designs to boost installation efficiency – PV mounting solutions are accelerating toward intelligence, flexibility, lightweighting, and efficiency. With the large‑scale deployment of new scenarios such as desert/gobi/wasteland bases, offshore PV, and agrivoltaics, the PV mounting industry is expected to enjoy even broader development space in 2025 and beyond.