Driven by the global energy transition and carbon neutrality goals, the solar mounting kits industry for metal roofs experienced rapid development in 2023. From policy support to technological innovation, and from standard formulation to project implementation, all segments of the industrial chain demonstrated active and positive momentum. Looking back over the year, China's PV mounting bracket market grew steadily, metal-roof PV installation technologies achieved multiple breakthroughs, and a number of representative projects were successfully connected to the grid, laying a solid foundation for future industry growth.

1. Steady Market Growth – PV Mounting Brackets Enter the Fast Lane

As the "skeleton" of a photovoltaic power generation system, PV mounting brackets directly affect the power generation efficiency and return on investment of power plants. In 2023, benefiting from the continuous expansion of the PV industry, the market size of PV mounting brackets grew steadily. According to data from the China Commerce Industry Research Institute, China's PV mounting bracket market reached RMB 19 billion in 2022, up 8.6% year-on-year; it was expected to reach RMB 21 billion in 2023 and further grow to RMB 25.3 billion in 2024. Meanwhile, the market penetration rate of PV mounting brackets rose gradually from 16% in 2019 to 23% in 2022, and was projected to reach 25.3% by the end of 2023.

From a global perspective, the rooftop PV mounting systems market also showed strong growth. The global market size of rooftop PV mounting systems in 2023 was estimated at US$24.23 billion, and is expected to grow to US$166.1 billion by 2032, representing a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of approximately 23.85%. Among these, metal roofs – thanks to their high structural strength, good durability, and ease of installation – have become the main carrier for industrial and commercial distributed PV applications, with related mounting kits seeing continuously rising market demand.

2. Continuous Improvement of Policies and Accelerated Implementation of Standards

In 2023, central and local governments issued a series of policies concerning PV mounting brackets and metal-roof PV installations, providing strong institutional support for industry development.

At the national level, the "14th Five-Year Plan" for modern energy systems explicitly sets the target of raising the share of non-fossil fuel power generation to about 39% by 2025. Five ministries including the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) jointly carried out the fourth round of pilot demonstration activities for smart PV, continuously promoting the development of building‑integrated PV demonstration projects. The "14th Five-Year Plan" for building energy efficiency and green building development, issued by the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development in 2022, sets a specific target of adding more than 50 GW of installed solar PV capacity on new buildings by 2025, promoting integrated design, construction, and installation of building‑integrated PV in new buildings.

Notably, in August 2023, the China Construction Industry Association officially released the group standard T/CCIAT 0059—2023 Technical specification for PV installation engineering on metal roofs. This standard comprises eight chapters and one appendix, covering key technical aspects such as bracket connection design, PV module installation node details, fabrication, installation and construction, and project acceptance. It took effect on November 1, 2023. The release of this standard fills the gap in technical specifications for PV installation on metal roofs and provides clear technical guidance for industry engineering practices.

At the local level, various provinces and cities actively responded to national strategies. Wuhu City offers a subsidy of RMB 100/kW for rooftop distributed PV projects on industrial buildings, with a maximum subsidy of RMB 400,000 per project. Zhengzhou City provides a feed‑in tariff subsidy of RMB 0.1/kWh for rooftop distributed PV projects that reach full capacity and are connected to the grid between 2023 and 2024. Pinghu City grants a three‑year generation subsidy for new industrial and commercial rooftop PV projects, at RMB 0.1/kWh per year. In addition, multiple cities including Beijing and Guangzhou have introduced local subsidy policies for building‑integrated PV, allowing eligible projects to actively apply. Ningxia also issued a specific management method for solar‑integrated modern agricultural housing projects, supporting PV applications on rural house roofs.

3. Notable Technological Innovations – Significantly Improved Installation Efficiency

In 2023, several important technological innovations emerged in the field of metal‑roof solar mounting systems, mainly focused on quick‑mount structures, BIPV integrated design, and new materials.

Patent breakthrough in quick‑mount structures. The "quick‑mount structure for PV on color‑coated steel sheet roofs" applied by Huanghe Company Xinye Industry was granted a utility model patent. This structure uses quick‑mount rails and a break‑away installation method, achieving universal applicability to T‑profile color‑coated steel roofs. It features light weight, high strength, good stability, corrosion resistance, and easy assembly/disassembly. During the construction of Xinye Industry's 33 MW distributed PV project, this patent saved RMB 41,000 per MW of investment.

Intensive release of full‑scenario BIPV solutions. In 2023, several companies launched innovative BIPV products. Antai New Energy unveiled its full‑scenario all‑aluminum BIPV solution, "Taiyang Ding," at major exhibitions including SNEC, Jinan Fair, and All-Energy Australia. The solution covers three major application scenarios: single‑top, single‑top plus insulation layer, and double‑top, meeting various distributed needs from new roofs to existing factory buildings. All products use self‑developed high‑performance aluminum alloy, offering 100% waterproofing, light weight, high strength, ultra corrosion resistance, and long service life. At the Jinan Fair, Antai demonstrated the strong waterproof capability of its full product line through a simulation of rainwater flow on metal roofs. The product has passed fire testing by a nationally accredited CMA certification body, achieving a fire resistance rating of 2 hours and meeting building design fire protection requirements.

Progress in new material development. Angang Steel successfully produced and trial‑manufactured Q500C‑YH high‑strength steel for PV mounting brackets, filling a gap in this product category and providing a higher‑strength material option for PV brackets.

Simultaneous upgrade of intelligent O&M. Antai New Energy also released an intelligent cleaning and maintenance system, adopting a "cleaning robot + spray system" mode. It has a 40 mm obstacle‑crossing capability, achieves a cleanliness level of SCP4, and can increase power generation by 8%–20% compared to ordinary dry brushing.

4. Active Corporate Engagement – Multi‑Scenario Solutions Launched Competitively

In 2023, numerous companies increased their investment in metal‑roof solar mounting solutions and introduced a range of targeted products.

Antai New Energy launched its most adaptable rooftop PV solution, the MetaRoof series, at the All-Energy Australia exhibition. It covers all scenarios including flat concrete roofs, tile roofs, and metal roofs. All products in the series are made of custom high‑performance aluminum alloy, featuring ultra‑light weight, ultra corrosion resistance, and high durability. Additionally, the SnapFit industrial and commercial flash‑mount system can improve installation efficiency by up to 50% thanks to its innovative design.

Clenergy introduced its Easy‑Racking SolarRoof Aeri PV mounting solution for color‑coated steel sheet roofs. Using specially designed clamps, end clamps, and rails, it allows quick and flexible installation of modules in either portrait or landscape orientation. The bracket structure uses high‑strength aluminum alloy, offering light weight, robust construction, and material recyclability.

GS-SOLAR exhibited its Nengshe‑BAPV system at the Korea International Green Energy Expo. This system includes products such as clamps, hooks, adjustable feet, and triangular brackets, with exclusive optimisation designs tailored to the characteristics and safety requirements of Korean rooftops.

Duowei Union Group innovatively developed the DW‑39 metal‑roof PV system, featuring dual waterproofing, dual wind resistance, higher efficiency, higher heat dissipation, strong adaptability, and long service life. It has been widely used in aerospace, new energy, electronics, machinery manufacturing, and other industries.

Mibet’s 21 MW color‑coated steel BAPV project in Xiangan, Xiamen successfully generated power. The structural design used Mibet’s roof waterproof mounting system, an all‑aluminium design with "roof + sleeper rail + waterproof rail". The wind load resistance reaches 0.8 kN/m², capable of withstanding typhoons up to Category 12.

5. Major Projects Realised – Significant BIPV Application Results

In 2023, a number of representative metal‑roof PV projects were successfully connected to the grid, strongly validating the reliability and economics of the relevant mounting kits.

Duowei Tianjin Base BIPV Project was successfully grid‑connected in March 2023. The roof uses the DW‑39 metal‑roof PV system with an installed capacity of 2.7 MW, capable of generating about 3 million kWh of green electricity annually. The project is a milestone witnessed by State Power Investment Corporation (SPIC) and State Grid.

The 20 MW distributed PV EPC general contracting project of Tengyang New Energy Tianxin Technology, undertaken by XJ Group, was successfully connected to the grid in August 2023. This is a building‑integrated PV (BIPV) project. Based on existing factory buildings, structural reinforcement and roof sheet replacement were carried out, and PV modules were directly laid and installed on the roof sheets, saving the usual manufacturing and installation steps of PV brackets, effectively controlling project costs and shortening the construction period. After full capacity connection, the project will provide about 23.7359 million kWh of clean electricity to the grid annually, saving about 7,528 tons of standard coal per year.

The 0.48 MW rooftop distributed PV power generation project of Jiangsu Mingdu Metal Products Co., Ltd. was approved for construction in September 2023. It uses a metal‑roof mounting solution and is self‑financed by Suqian Jingkai Industrial Investment Group.

In addition, an industrial enterprise used 200,000 m² of idle rooftop space to install a 17.5 MW PV power generation facility, adopting a "self‑generation for self‑use, surplus electricity to the grid" model, effectively reducing its electricity costs. The near‑zero carbon project of the Shenzhen North Station comprehensive transportation hub auxiliary building was also officially connected to the grid in September 2023, with a total installed PV capacity of 3,217.8 kWp and an annual generation of 2.972 million kWh.