In 2023, the global solar farm mounting system industry experienced dual drivers of technological innovation and market expansion. With the continued surge in PV installed capacity — China’s cumulative PV capacity reached 609 GW, an annual growth rate exceeding 55% — the mounting system, as the “skeleton” of PV power plants, is deeply influencing the levelized cost of electricity (LCOE) and deployment efficiency of the entire renewable energy industry through its technology roadmap and delivery capabilities.

Technological Innovation: Focus on Installation Efficiency and Extreme Environment Adaptability

In 2023, many leading mounting system manufacturers focused R&D efforts on “simplified installation” and “reduced labor hours” to address the challenges of skilled labor shortages and rising labor costs.

In the commercial & industrial (C&I) sector, rapid-assembly systems became a highlight of the year. Antaisolar launched its SnapFit C&I mounting system at the All-Energy Australia exhibition, claiming a reduction in installation time of up to 50% through an innovative elastic drive mechanism. The system adopts a “plug-and-play” design philosophy, requiring installers to use only a single M8 tool throughout the entire process, significantly reducing the complexity of rooftop operations.

Around the same time, U.S. supplier SnapNrack introduced its TopSpeed rooftop mount in early 2023. The disruptive design allows installers to pre-attach modules to the mounting system on the ground before hoisting the entire assembly onto the roof. This “pre-assembly” approach is claimed to reduce rooftop work time by more than 50%, greatly improving safety when working at height.

For agrivoltaic applications and high-load scenarios, flexible mounting technology achieved substantial breakthroughs. Tongwei New Energy was recognized with a 2023 Green Technology Innovation Case for its new flexible mounting system, which, combined with the “fishing-solar complementary” model, solves the applicability challenges of traditional mounts over large spans and complex terrain, enabling the integrated synergy of PV power generation and fish farming.

Market Landscape: Soaring Shipments from Leading Manufacturers and Patent Portfolios

Looking at global supply chain data, shipments of mounting systems surged in 2023 alongside the decline in module prices.

Trina Solar’s annual financial report showed that its global mounting system shipments reached a milestone of 20 GW in 2023. This figure creates a synergistic effect with its 65 GW of module shipments, demonstrating the strong market competitiveness of the “modules + mounting + storage” one-stop supply model.

In terms of technology patents, Chinese companies continued to solidify their positions. LONGi obtained an authorized patent from the China National Intellectual Property Administration in November 2023 titled “A support truss for a PV mounting structure” (authorization announcement number CN220107854U). Through a special profile bending design and joint structure, this patent aims to improve construction efficiency and optimize the stability of the module-carrying area.

Key Projects: From Agrivoltaics to High-Latitude Field Validation

2023 witnessed the successful application of mounting systems in diverse geographic environments.

Canadian Agrivoltaic Milestone: In October, Clenergy launched a 228 kWp agrivoltaic project in Vulcan County, Alberta, Canada. Located at Page Ranches farm, the project uses the SolarTerrace-IIIA mounting system, combining a hybrid foundation design of ground screws and concrete ballasts, providing 100% of the annual electricity demand for the farm’s irrigation pumps. The project was seen as a model for solar-empowered sustainable agriculture, encouraging neighboring farmers to transition to clean energy.

High-Load Project in the Northeastern U.S.: Polar Racking undertook a total 6.6 MW community solar project in Maine, USA. Facing extreme snow loads of up to 80–90 psf (pounds per square foot), the project adopted the CORE fixed-tilt ground mount and provided cast-in-place concrete ballast block solutions for the unique geological conditions of a landfill site, demonstrating the high reliability of mounting systems under extreme weather conditions.

High-Latitude Field Data Released: The National PV and Energy Storage Empirical Test Platform in Daqing, Heilongjiang Province, released its 2023 data results. The results showed that in high-latitude cold-temperate regions, single-axis trackers with tilt angles performed excellently. The data clearly indicated that power loss due to soiling and snow cover was measured at 1.68%, while temperature-related losses were 3%. These figures provide valuable scientific evidence for mounting system selection for PV power plants at the same latitudes in the Northern Hemisphere.

Industry Outlook

Looking back at 2023, solar farm mounting systems were no longer simple structural steel components, but high-tech products integrating patented mechanical designs, intelligent tracking algorithms, and high-durability materials. As global PV applications continue to operate at a high level, the mounting industry is accelerating its evolution toward “higher efficiency, stronger adaptability, and lower operation & maintenance costs,” becoming an indispensable supporting force for the global energy transition.