1. Technological Innovation: Metal Roof Brackets See a Surge in Patents

In 2022, leading companies in the global metal roof attachment sector significantly increased R&D investment, delivering impressive results in technological patents and product innovation.

S-5! Granted 14 New Patents in a Single Year

In November 2022, S-5!, a global leader in metal roof attachments, announced on its 30th anniversary that it had been granted 14 new patents in 2022 alone, bringing its total patents since the first product patent in 1991 to 112. The latest patent from the US Patent and Trademark Office, No. 11,512,474, covers the S-5-ZH™ Mini clamp, specifically designed for attaching solar and other lightweight equipment to metal roofs with round "bulb" seam configurations, such as BEMO, Kalzip, and Zip-Rib profiles. The ZH Mini can also be used with S-5!'s PVKIT® to form a cost-effective, time-saving, rail-less, direct-attachment solar mounting solution.

Other patents S-5! received in 2022 cover multiple countries and regions: GripperFix® utility mounting solution in Australia; PVKIT® 2.0 solar solution in China; and Standing Seam Clamp, TrapBracket™, RibBracket™ attachments in Europe, France, Germany, Spain, the UK, and more.

Rob Haddock, Founder and CEO of S-5!, said: "As the original inventors of rigorously tested and engineered metal roof attachments, our motto is 'Innovate, improve, innovate again' and to do things the right way. Over the years, we have established testing and performance protocol standards for roof attachment devices, making metal roofs the most friendly roof type in the industry."

Schletter Group Launches New Aluminum Roof Hooks

In May 2022, at the Intersolar exhibition in Munich, Schletter Group, a world-leading solar mounting system manufacturer, showcased its latest products and solutions. The focus was on maximizing efficiency – including material utilization and installation speed. Florian Roos, CEO of Schletter Group, emphasized: "Achieving the same or even higher load-bearing capacity with less material, and enabling fast assembly on the construction site – this is the core philosophy of our product development."

In addition to the well-proven stainless steel and high-strength structural steel roof hooks, Schletter introduced two aluminum roof hooks: the lightweight "EcoA" and "RapidA" roof hooks, offering more options for project optimization and cost savings. The company also presented the new RapidA 35 roof hook designed specifically for lower roof purlins. All Schletter roof hooks are compatible with Schletter standard mounting rails and the new ProLine rails.

Nippon Steel Launches ZEXEED Next-Generation Super Magnesium-Aluminum-Zinc-Coated Steel Brackets

In October 2022, Nippon Steel's newly produced "ZEXEED Next-Generation Super Magnesium-Aluminum-Zinc-Coated Steel" held an inauguration ceremony at the National Penghu University of Science and Technology in Taiwan, China. This steel product was developed by Nippon Steel in October 2021 to address typhoon damage to solar PV systems and respond to the increasing frequency of extreme global climates, aiming to enhance both corrosion resistance and wind resistance of solar PV systems.

A demonstration structure was built at the university's "Marine Extreme Exposure Test Site" to begin validation of anti-corrosion performance under the severe "CX Highest Corrosion Environment" conditions. The demonstration structure was designed by Liyang Company (Ligang Group) and processed by Jiayao Steel, which already had 140MW of sales and engineering track record.

2. New Product Launches: A Wealth of Metal Bracket Products

MeiDe YaChang Photovoltaic Bracket New Product Launch

On June 25, 2022, a "Photovoltaic Bracket New Product Launch" hosted by MeiDe YaChang Group Co., Ltd. was successfully held. The conference invited industry authorities, trade organizations, and photovoltaic bracket companies to discuss hot topics in bracket development. The director of MeiDe YaChang's bracket business unit delivered a keynote speech on "Carbon Neutrality and Carbon Peaking," detailing the new photovoltaic brackets, emphasizing their role in enhancing structural rigidity and providing more safety protection for PV power plants. On the launch day, multiple companies signed long-term strategic cooperation agreements. As a special component for positioning, installing, and fixing solar panels in PV systems, solar brackets are generally made of aluminum alloy, carbon steel, or stainless steel, with carbon steel surfaces hot-dip galvanized for 30 years of outdoor use without rusting.

Antai New Energy Launches Taiyang Ding All-Aluminum BIPV Product

In July 2022, Antai New Energy held an online new product launch, officially introducing its new BIPV product – "Taiyang Ding" all-aluminum BIPV. The product uses Antai's self-developed high-performance aluminum alloy, comprehensively optimizing and upgrading aspects such as waterproofing, installation, operation and maintenance, performance, and stability. Innovative technology improves product performance by 20% over national standards, reduces system costs by 20%, increases efficiency by 50%, and provides a service life of 50 years, matching building lifespan.

Clenergy Launches SolarRoof MacX Roof Mounting System

In August 2022, Clenergy launched the SolarRoof™ MacX roof PV mounting system. The product uses high-strength, corrosion-resistant magnesium-aluminum-zinc-coated steel, ensuring resistance to deformation and damage. The design is suitable not only for residential flat roofs but also for pitched roofs of various angles. The solution includes multiple optional accessories for flexible configuration based on project requirements. The product's biggest innovation is the M-section purlin connected back-to-back with C-section steel, offering higher strength than U-section steel of the same material and effectively reducing material costs.

TBEA Launches "Sunroom" Magnesium-Aluminum-Zinc-Coated Brackets

In November 2022, TBEA Yijia launched the "Sunroom" residential PV solution. To ensure safety, reliability, and stability, the entire bracket structure uses lightweight, high-strength magnesium-aluminum-zinc-coated square tubes welded and formed. After rigorous calculation and testing, factors such as load-bearing capacity, wind resistance, and seismic resistance were fully considered.

3. Market Dynamics: Strong Demand for Metal Brackets

Bracket Tenders Exceed 35.5 GW

From January to August 2022, the tender volume for brackets from domestic PV power plant developers exceeded 35.5 GW, with State Power Investment Corporation (8.68 GW), PowerChina (6.15 GW), and Datang Group (5.74 GW) leading. A total of 27.8 GW of projects were finalized, with 70 companies winning bids, including Jiangsu Guoqiang Xingbo, Arctech, Trina Solar, Ruifengda Metal Products, subsidiaries of PowerChina, Jinhai Xinyuan, Suzhou Jusheng Solar Energy Technology, Jiangsu Yanshan Photovoltaic, and Antaike Energy.

Huaneng Group Bracket Framework Procurement Announced

On November 28, 2022, China Huaneng Group Co., Ltd. announced the winning candidates for its 2022-2023 photovoltaic bracket framework agreement procurement. Jiangsu Yanshan Photovoltaic Equipment Co., Ltd. ranked first, Hebei Jieyang Steel Structure Co., Ltd. second, Trina Solar Co., Ltd. third, Jiangsu Guoqiang Xingneng Energy Technology Co., Ltd. fourth, and Jiangsu Guohua Pipe Tower Manufacturing Co., Ltd. fifth. The tender was for fixed non-adjustable PV brackets, with a framework agreement valid for one year from issuance, involving metal surface treatments such as galvanizing or magnesium-aluminum-zinc coating.

Corporate Honors and Industrial Layout

On July 23, 2022, Jiangsu Guoqiang Xingneng was invited to participate in the 4th China Residential PV Conference and Distributed Energy High-Quality Development Forum. With its excellent products and reputation, the company won the "2022 China Roof Energy Accessories Influential Brand (Brackets)" award. This award is initiated by Century Energy Network, a leading media outlet in the energy industry, and is one of the most influential brand awards in the PV industry. In the first half of 2022, the total installed capacity of distributed PV brackets was 20 GW, with Guoqiang Xingneng installing 3.2 GW of residential PV brackets, accounting for approximately 16%.

In June 2022, Yongzheng Technology commenced construction of an annual 380,000-ton aluminum alloy PV frames, brackets, and energy storage battery tray project in Wuhu City, with a total investment of 8 billion yuan. Upon completion and reaching full capacity, it is expected to achieve annual sales revenue of 23 billion yuan.

In November 2022, Antai New Energy won the "2022 PV Industry Most Innovative Bracket Company" award at the 7th PV Innovation Conference. The company holds 86 patents, has obtained 68 domestic and international certifications, and established its fourth global R&D center in Madrid, Spain, in August 2022.

In November 2022, the first batch of PV brackets from Ningxia Jianlong rolled off the production line, marking the successful commissioning of Ningxia Jianlong's new energy PV bracket construction project. This production line is a new intelligent line capable of producing C-section bracket products, U-section bracket products, ground and roof brackets, and their connectors. The products serve the Northwest region, with reach to the Southwest and North China. Construction began on August 20, 2022, and the installation was completed with high quality and efficiency in just 75 days.

4. Exhibitions and Events: Chinese PV Bracket Companies Active on the Global Stage

Kseng Solar Appears at Green Energy Expo Korea

From April 13 to 15, 2022, Green Energy Expo Korea was held in Daegu. Xiamen Kseng Metal Technology Co., Ltd. exhibited its full range of PV bracket solutions, covering all-aluminum ground mounts and metal roof mounts, highly suitable for commercial and industrial distributed power stations and large ground-mounted power stations in the Korean market. Among them, the "Rail-Less Solution" roof mounting system developed for Korean rooftop PV projects uses aluminum alloy as the main material, passes professional salt spray tests, and balances overall strength with roof load-bearing capacity, attracting many visitors for consultation. Kseng has深耕 the Korean market for many years, having provided bracket solutions for a cumulative total of 300 MW of PV power plants in South Korea.

Kseng Solar Shines at All-Energy Australia

On October 26-27, 2022, Xiamen Kseng Metal Technology Co., Ltd. made a strong appearance at All-Energy Australia 2022 after a two-year hiatus, showcasing its latest solar mounting solutions, including roof mounts, ground mounts, and the newly launched Easy Solar Bracket. The exhibited roof mounting solutions included the L-feet metal roof mounting system and the standing seam roof mounting system.

Grace Solar Exhibits at PV EXPO Japan

In November 2022, Grace Solar participated in PV EXPO Japan, showcasing brand-new all-aluminum carport and farm PV mounting systems. The innovative product combinations attracted many visitors for consultation.

5. Project Applications: Real-World Use of Metal Roof Brackets

S-5! Aboriginal Community Project in Australia

In 2022, an Aboriginal Sustainable Homestead (ASH) community in Moree, Australia, installed four solar PV systems totaling 15.54 kW. The project used S-5!'s PVKIT 2.0 and RibBracket I to attach solar panels to Versiclad Spacemaker insulated trapezoidal metal roofs. Due to the remote location, 500 km from the nearest major airport, traditional rail solutions faced high shipping costs and long lead times. S-5!'s rail-less, direct-attachment solution weighed only 23 kg and could be shipped in a single carton, reducing weight by 85% and volume by 90% compared to traditional rail components, greatly reducing logistics costs and installation difficulty.

California 772 kW C&I PV Project

In April 2022, Solar Atmospheres installed a 772 kW PV system on two 20,000 sq ft metal building roofs in California, paired with Tesla battery storage. The project used S-5!'s PVKIT solar solution and RibBracket III. Because S-5! products allowed flexible attachment positioning and the lightweight solution avoided costly roof retrofits, the project's estimated payback period was 30 to 36 months.

Turks and Caicos Islands Sports Center Project

In 2022, the GraceWay Sports Center in the Turks and Caicos Islands installed a 272 kW solar PV system, generating over 430,000 kWh per year. The project used S-5!'s RibBracket IV and PVKIT 2.0 for rail-less PV installation. In a hurricane-prone area, the system is designed to withstand winds up to 180 mph. Whereas a traditional three-rail system would require an entire 40-foot shipping container, the S-5! solution shipped on a single standard pallet, saving 50% in product costs and 70% in shipping costs.