Booming Market: Bracket Tender Volume Exceeds 35.5 GW

In 2022, the pace of domestic PV power station development accelerated significantly. According to statistics from Polar Solar Power Network, from January to August 2022 alone, the tender volume for brackets by domestic PV power station developers exceeded 35.5 GW. State Power Investment Corporation, PowerChina, and China Datang Corporation led in tender volumes, while private enterprises also actively participated, with tender capacity reaching 800 MW.

In terms of winning bids, a total of 70 companies secured projects, including Jiangsu Guoqiang XingSheng, Arctech, Trina Solar, Jinhai Xinyuan, and others. On August 15, the Fujian Institute of PowerChina announced the shortlisted results for its 2022-2023 PV bracket framework procurement project, with 10 suppliers selected. The supply scope included fixed and adjustable PV brackets, as well as distributed rooftop brackets. In December, China Huaneng Group Co., Ltd. announced the winning bids for its 2022-2023 PV bracket framework procurement, with five companies, including Jiangsu Yanshan Photovoltaic Equipment Co., Ltd., Trina Solar Co., Ltd., and Jiangsu Guoqiang XingSheng Energy Technology Co., Ltd., successfully winning the bids.

Looking at market size, China's PV bracket market recovered to about RMB 17.5 billion in 2021, a year-on-year growth rate of 51.91%. With continued increases in PV installed capacity, the 2022 market size was expected to reach RMB 19 billion. Trina Solar also noted in its survey records that compared to its bracket shipment of 1.8 GW in 2021, its bracket shipments for the full year of 2022 were expected to achieve growth of more than 50%.

Steel Giants Diversify: Bracket Industry Chain Extends

The core raw material for metal solar roof brackets is steel. In 2022, several steel enterprises accelerated their deployment in the PV bracket field, forming an integrated industrial chain from steel production to bracket manufacturing.

In December, Ningxia Jianlong's first batch of PV brackets came off the production line. This new intelligent production line uses hot-rolled strip, cold-rolled strip, and zinc‑aluminum‑magnesium coated steel to produce a full range of C-section brackets, U-section brackets, ground and roof brackets, and their connectors. The products will serve the five northwestern provinces, and also reach the southwest and north China regions. The line took only 75 days from construction start (August 20) to commissioning, completing the build efficiently.

In July, Chengde Steel Branch of HBIS Group achieved a breakthrough in steel for PV brackets, delivering 211 tons of cold-rolled galvanized products to Hangzhou Huarui Group for PV bracket production, with a total volume exceeding 2,000 tons. In addition, Meishan Iron & Steel launched its high‑weather‑resistance, high‑strength "Danxia Steel" product. As a high‑weather‑resistance steel, it replaces traditional hot‑dip galvanized or zinc‑aluminum‑magnesium coated steel for PV brackets, enabling bare, coating‑free use, 25‑year life‑cycle maintenance‑free operation, and 100% recyclability after use.

Corporate Honors: Rising Industry Influence

In 2022, many PV bracket companies won awards in industry evaluations. On July 23, Guoqiang XingSheng won the "2022 China Rooftop Energy Accessories Influential Brand (Bracket)" award, thanks to its excellent products and reputation. In the first half of 2022, the total domestic distributed PV bracket installation volume was 20 GW; Guoqiang XingSheng installed 3.2 GW of residential PV brackets, accounting for about 16% of the total.

In November, Antai New Energy won the "2022 PV Industry Most Innovative Bracket Company" award at the 7th PV Innovation Conference. Over 16 years of deep cultivation in the industry, Antai New Energy has accumulated 86 patents, obtained 68 domestic and international certifications and tests, and established its fourth global R&D center in Madrid, Spain.

Innovative Applications: BIPV and Flexible Modules Lead Technology Trends

In 2022, application scenarios for metal solar roof brackets expanded significantly, with BIPV (Building‑Integrated Photovoltaics) and flexible module mounting systems becoming industry highlights.

In May, the largest‑span curved BIPV project in Jiangsu Province was completed and grid‑connected at Longteng Special Steel in Changshu, Suzhou, with a cumulative grid‑connected capacity of 36.45 MW. The project adopted a large‑span curved structure, with a maximum span of 223.7 meters and a maximum roof height of 58 meters. By combining custom waterproof brackets and PV modules, it replaced traditional colored steel tiles as the outer layer of the curved roof. Due to the large original structural errors of the steel frame, the project imposed high demands on the installation accuracy and load‑bearing capacity of the BIPV brackets. With no previous industry experience to draw on, the project team explored and developed a design solution for large‑span steel structure roof PV brackets.

In October, the Zhoushan Power Supply Company of Zhejiang Province innovatively developed a "no‑roof‑disassembly" BIPV installation process. Using L‑shaped brackets and self‑tapping screws to penetrate the colored steel tiles, the PV bracket system was securely connected to the roof steel structure. This not only reduced the load pressure on the roof but also saved the cost of removing the colored steel tiles, reducing installation costs for rooftop PV projects by an average of nearly 30%. The project also established a "rooftop PV wind resistance index model," replacing the previous practice of relying solely on experience.

In August, Mibet provided a flexible PV module bracket system for Dalian Xikari Co., Ltd. The solution used a "clamp + flat‑rail" approach, securing the matching clamps to the colored steel tile roof with a pull‑out resistance greater than 1500 N. Compared to traditional rigid panels, flexible modules are lighter and can be bent or folded, enabling wider application of PV systems.

Standards and Specifications: Industry Moves Toward Standardization

In 2022, the PV bracket industry made important progress in standardization. In May, the Construction Specification for Residential Rooftop Distributed PV Grid‑Connected Projects (T/ZS 0280‑2022) was officially released and implemented, covering full‑process operational standards including site surveys, design schemes, installation, and commissioning. In July, the Technical Specification for Integration of Crystalline Silicon PV Systems with Profiled Metal Sheet Roofs (DBJ33/T1282‑2022) was released, specifying requirements for material selection, structural design, construction, and acceptance of PV‑integrated profiled metal sheet roof systems. These standards provide technical guidance for the design, installation, and quality control of metal solar roof brackets.

Global Perspective: Chinese Bracket Brands Go Worldwide

In 2022, Chinese PV bracket brands were also active on the international stage. In April, Xiamen Kseng Metal Technology Co., Ltd. showcased its full range of PV bracket solutions at the Korea International Green Energy Expo. Its flush‑rail rooftop bracket system, developed for the Korean rooftop PV market, attracted the attention and inquiries of many customers. Using aluminum alloy as the main material and having passed professional salt spray tests, Kseng has provided bracket solutions for a cumulative 300 MW of PV power plants in South Korea.

On the international technology frontier, Austrian bracket system supplier Aerocompact developed a new rooftop hook system equipped with metal replacement tiles. Based on a heavy‑duty stainless steel bracket design, it can withstand snow loads of up to 4.7 kN and comes with a 25‑year warranty. U.S. company S‑5! launched a wire management clamp for metal roof PV systems. Made of electro‑galvanized steel, it is available in 14 different sizes, maintaining the integrity of the metal roof while meeting the wiring needs of the PV system. Guoqiang XingSheng's customers are also spread across more than 10 countries and regions, including Germany, Australia, Europe, Latin America, the Middle East, and Southeast Asia, with cumulative deliveries exceeding 60 GW.