In 2023, the global PV industry experienced explosive growth driven by the wave of energy transition. As the "skeleton" of PV power plants, ground-mount mounting solutions are not only critical to the safety and stability of power stations but also directly determine project power generation efficiency and investment returns. During this year, as global installed PV capacity surged, the ground-mount mounting market displayed two major trends: the accelerated global penetration of trackers and the scenario-based breakthrough of flexible mounting solutions. Together, these two trends formed the twin engines driving industrial upgrading.

I. Market Landscape: Global Tracker Market Accelerates, Chinese Players Rise

In 2023, strong global demand for centralized ground-mount PV stations directly fueled the booming mounting business. According to a report released by Wood Mackenzie, global PV tracker shipments reached 92 GW in 2023, a year-on-year increase of 28%, with the top three companies accounting for more than 50% of global shipments.

From a competitive landscape perspective, US companies continued to lead. Nextracker and Array Technologies ranked first and second globally for the ninth consecutive year, and GameChange Solar entered the top three for the first time with 55% year-on-year growth. Driven by the US Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), tracker shipments in the US market exceeded 37 GW in 2023, up 10% year-on-year, making it the largest single market in the world.

At the same time, Chinese mounting companies are accelerating onto the world stage. Arctech and TrinaTracker successfully entered the top six global shipments, thanks to strong performance in emerging markets such as the Middle East, Central Asia, and Latin America. Taking Arctech as an example, in 2023 it achieved operating revenue of RMB 6.39 billion, a year-on-year increase of 72.59%, of which tracker revenue grew by 124.13% year-on-year, demonstrating strong global competitiveness.

II. Technological Innovation: AI-Powered Smart Tracking and Flexible Solutions Blossom Together

On the technology and product front, 2023 witnessed the intelligent upgrading of trackers and the scenario-based breakout of flexible mounting solutions.

1. Trackers: AI Empowerment, Extending to Complex Terrain

The value of trackers was further validated in 2023, with the industry consensus that they can increase power plant generation by 15%-25%. Leading companies are adding value through AI algorithms and software upgrades.

Nextracker launched three next-generation products at RE+ 2023, including a rapid protection mechanism against extreme hail (Hail Pro), a terrain-following tracker suited for complex topography, and a new irradiance tracking system, aiming to improve project profitability through hardware-software integration.

Arctech applied its Tianzhi II tracking system in the first project in Xinjiang that adopted 210 large-format modules + trackers. The system uses multi-point parallel drive technology to effectively address instability issues of traditional 2P systems under extreme weather, and combined with a new-generation AI PV tracking solution, it can increase power generation gain by up to 7%.

TrinaTracker released a new upgraded Vanguard 1P 700W+ smart tracking solution at the end of the year. Through modular design, multi-point drive, and intelligent algorithms, it significantly reduces system BOS cost and improves land utilization in complex terrain.

Antai New Energy launched its SkyWing series equipped with the "Space Cloud" intelligent monitoring and O&M system, capable of ±60° large-angle tracking, and passed rigorous tests in top-tier wind tunnels to ensure operational stability under extreme weather.

2. Flexible Mounting Solutions: Unlocking Diverse "PV+" Scenarios

As land for PV development becomes increasingly tight and projects extend to complex terrains such as mountains, fish ponds, and deserts, flexible mounting solutions – with their advantages of high clearance, large span, and fewer piles – stood out in 2023.

Major project construction: In early 2023, the first array of the 111 MW agricultural PV power generation project of China Energy Investment Corporation in Yingjiang, Yunnan Province, was successfully connected to the grid. This project is the largest single project built with flexible mounting solutions in Southwest China. The flexible mounting system successfully spanned complex terrain such as gullies and steep slopes, leaving agricultural space below, achieving "agri-PV integration."

"PV+" cross-sector integration: DAS Solar showcased its flexible mounting solutions for various scenarios including agri-PV, forest-PV, fishery-PV, and pastoral-PV. In a fishery-PV complementary project in Ding'an, Hainan Province, the flexible mounting system enabled dual-revenue model of "power generation above, fish farming below."

Ecology and efficiency gains: Shenzhen Antaike applied its new-generation cable-net flexible mounting technology in complex mountainous projects on the Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau, increasing land utilization by more than 30%. At the same time, compared to traditional rigid mounting, flexible mounting in mountainous areas saved more than 25% of land and increased installation efficiency by up to 20%.

III. Outlook: Scenario-Based, Intelligent, and Global

Looking back at 2023, the ground-mount mounting industry is no longer a competition of single products, but has shifted to a competition of comprehensive solutions covering software algorithms, hardware structures, and scenario adaptability.

Looking ahead, as global installed PV capacity continues to rise, tracker market penetration is expected to further increase, especially in emerging markets such as China and the Middle East, where huge growth potential exists. Meanwhile, flexible mounting solutions, as a key technology to address land constraints, will continue to optimize in terms of standardization, safety, and wind vibration resistance, and will play an irreplaceable role in more "PV+" cross-sector integration scenarios.

The developments of 2023 have laid a solid foundation for the industry. A new era of ground-mount PV mounting solutions – more efficient, smarter, and greener – is accelerating toward us.