I. Technological Innovation: Precision Breakthroughs in Hook Products

1. GoodWe: Adjustable Hook Patent Boosts Generation Efficiency

In July 2024, leading Chinese inverter and PV system manufacturer GoodWe obtained a utility model patent titled “A Hook and a Photovoltaic Tile System.” The core innovation lies in the hook body, which can be displaced relative to a connector via an adjustment part, moving the PV tile to adjust the overlap distance between adjacent PV tiles.

Though seemingly a detail, this design has significant implications. In conventional PV tile installation, excessive overlap reduces effective power‑generating area. GoodWe’s adjustable hook system precisely controls the overlap distance, maximizing the light‑receiving area of each tile while maintaining waterproof performance, thus improving per‑unit area generation efficiency. According to disclosures, GoodWe invested RMB 470 million in R&D in 2023, a year‑on‑year increase of 35%, and obtained 43 new patents that year.

2. HQ Mount: “Click” Revolution of High‑Strength Aluminum Hooks

In November 2024, international PV mounting system manufacturer HQ Mount launched its latest high‑strength aluminum hook. The product’s arm thickness reaches 8 mm – significantly thicker than most market alternatives – allowing wider hook spacing, thereby reducing installation time and material costs.

Even more noteworthy is its patented “Click Holder Set” technology: rails can be snapped quickly into the hooks, and rail splicing is simplified, requiring only a few screws to complete the installation. This “plug‑and‑play” design substantially cuts construction time and complexity, making it especially suitable for large‑scale rooftop PV deployment. The product has already been validated in a project in Greece.

3. CSCEC 4th Division: Innovative Installation Structure for Low‑Carbon Building‑Integrated PV Roofs

In December 2024, China Construction Fourth Engineering Division Corp. obtained a utility model patent titled “A Photovoltaic Roof for Low‑Carbon Buildings.” The design features a clever installation structure comprising mounting rods and a support assembly consisting of Z‑shaped supports, L‑shaped connectors, and clamps.

The core value of this design is that it avoids damaging the strength of the roof support structure – a common technical challenge when retrofitting existing buildings with PV. By using clamp‑type fixing instead of penetrating fasteners, the solution not only protects building structural safety but also reduces leakage risk, providing a feasible path for “PV retrofitting” of older buildings.

4. Dezhou Qingtian: Anti‑Loosening Technology for Green Building Energy‑Saving Roofs

In December 2024, Dezhou Qingtian Construction Equipment Co., Ltd. filed a patent titled “A Green Building Energy‑Saving Roof.” The patent introduces a “double‑sided neck‑locking” design for the interlocking structure. Once installed, it effectively prevents gaps caused by loosening between adjacent panels, ensuring overall sealing.

Moreover, the design includes first and second grooves on the support hook and the interlocking hook head, so that the clamping part of the PV mounting frame, after clamping onto the mounting rib, does not slide downward and is also not easily pulled upward – directly addressing the risk of PV panels being lifted in high winds, further enhancing rooftop PV installation reliability.

5. JinkoSolar: Bracket Innovation and PV Component Integration

In June 2024, intellectual property information from Qichacha showed that JinkoSolar Co., Ltd. filed a patent titled “A Bracket and a Photovoltaic Component” (publication number CN202410448975.4, filing date April 2024). The patent focuses on optimizing the connection between PV components and building bases, providing a more efficient and reliable bracket solution for BIPV (building‑integrated photovoltaics) scenarios.

II. Material Upgrades: Zn–Al–Mg Coating Becomes the Standard

In 2024, the most notable trend in PV mounting materials was the rapid adoption of zinc‑aluminum‑magnesium (Zn–Al–Mg) coated steel. Compared to traditional hot‑dip galvanized steel, Zn–Al–Mg coating offers corrosion resistance 10 to 20 times higher, plus a self‑healing ability at cut edges, providing a service life of over 30 years.

In August 2024, at a national expert meeting on coated steel sheets, Professor Xu Xiufei, deputy secretary‑general of the Chinese Society for Corrosion and Protection, gave a keynote interpretation of the industry standard “Continuously Hot‑Dip Zinc‑Aluminum‑Magnesium Alloy Coated Steel Sheet and Strip for Photovoltaic Brackets,” systematically specifying requirements in terms of material properties, coating corrosion resistance, and production processes. This marked the formal standardization of Zn–Al–Mg bracket materials.

On the international front, in December 2024, Chinese PV mounting manufacturer HUEG launched a new C‑section mounting system using Zn–Al‑Mg coated steel. According to the company, its patented clamping design increases system strength by 20%, withstanding a maximum snow load of 3.6 kN/m² and a maximum wind load of 46 m/s, backed by a 15‑year warranty. The company particularly emphasizes that the self‑healing property of Zn–Al‑Mg ensures system longevity exceeding 35 years even in harsh environments.

On the domestic production side, Pangang Vanadium & Titanium’s No. 3 galvanizing line, retrofitted and operational since 2023, primarily produces Zn–Al‑Mg coated steel for PV brackets. Although overall demand for PV brackets fluctuated in 2024, the market penetration of Zn–Al‑Mg products continued to rise.

III. Policy Drivers: BIPV Moves from Pilot to Scale

2024 was a year of intensive BIPV policy releases. In March, the General Office of the State Council forwarded the “Action Plan for Accelerating Energy Efficiency and Carbon Reduction in the Building Sector” from the National Development and Reform Commission and the Ministry of Housing and Urban‑Rural Development. The document explicitly called for “formulating and improving standards and drawing sets for building‑integrated photovoltaics, and piloting BIPV construction in new industrial plants, public buildings, residential buildings, etc.” For the first time, thin‑film technologies such as perovskite and cadmium telluride were included in the scope of building‑application support.

At the local level, Shenzhen issued in July 2024 the first version of its “New Technology List for Building‑Integrated Photovoltaics (BIPV) and ‘PV + Storage + DC + Flexibility’,” encouraging active application of BIPV technologies in construction projects. In October, Zhongshan City issued its “Action Plan for Promoting High‑Quality Development of Distributed Photovoltaics (2024‑2030),” explicitly stating that “new industrial, commercial, and public buildings with a roof area of 1,000 m² or more should be designed and built according to BIPV requirements.” It also plans to pilot a number of BIPV projects in the Torch Development Zone, Cuiheng New District, and Shiqi Headquarters Economic Zone.

In August, Shanghai released a draft revision of its “Technical Standard for Building‑Mounted Solar Photovoltaic Power Generation Applications,” adding requirements for the PV installation area on new buildings and technical specifications for BIPV. It requires that the layout of BIPV components must be comprehensively designed considering solar irradiance, wind speed, rainfall, building orientation, installation position, and roof form.

From these policy signals, BIPV has moved from an early demonstration phase to a new cycle of scaled promotion. For mounting and hook manufacturers, this means products must shift from “general‑purpose” to “building‑integrated” – mounting systems need to be more tightly integrated with building structures while meeting building code requirements for waterproofing, wind resistance, fire safety, and more.

IV. Market Dynamics: New Distributed PV Rules Reshape Demand Patterns

In October 2024, the National Energy Administration released a draft version of the “Measures for the Development and Construction Management of Distributed Photovoltaic Power Generation” for public comment, drawing widespread industry attention. The core changes include: industrial and commercial PV projects with installed capacity above 6 MW are no longer eligible for “surplus power to the grid” – they must be fully self‑consumed; general industrial and commercial PV can no longer opt for “full‑grid sale”; distributed PV generation must “fairly bear corresponding responsibilities and obligations,” including government funds and surcharges, system reserve fees, and policy cross‑subsidies.

The impact of this policy shift on the mounting and hook market is profound. The “full self‑consumption” model means industrial and commercial PV projects will focus more on maximizing the self‑consumption ratio, placing higher demands on rooftop installation density and mounting layout. The higher threshold for “surplus power to the grid” may push some projects toward upgrades to BIPV and “PV + storage + charging” systems, thereby driving demand for tracking and highly adaptable mounting products.

On the cost side, PV module prices fell below RMB 0.9/W in 2024, and total system costs dropped to around RMB 1.8/W – a historic low. The decline in module cost partly offsets the impact of policy changes on project returns, leaving room for technological upgrades in mounting and hook products.

In terms of end‑user subsidies, according to a survey by Solarbe PV, as of July 2024, 70 local governments nationwide still offered PV subsidies, covering residential and industrial/commercial projects. Zhejiang, Guangdong, and Jiangsu introduced the most subsidies – 28, 11, and 7, respectively. The highest feed‑in tariff subsidy, in Ningbo’s Haishu District and Yuyao City, reached RMB 0.45/kWh for 2 to 5 years.

V. Export Landscape: Structural Adjustment – Volume Up, Value Down

In 2024, China’s PV mounting exports showed a structural pattern of “volume up, value down.” According to customs data, the annual export value of solar brackets fell to USD 4.455 billion, a year‑on‑year decrease of 5.06%; but export volume rose from 1.52 million tonnes in 2023 to 1.73 million tonnes in 2024, an increase of 13.93%.

This “volume up, price down” trend reflects intensified global competition in PV mounting markets – Chinese companies are expanding export volumes to offset downward price pressure. Key destinations remain Asia, Europe, and North America. In Southeast Asia, demand for Chinese mounting products continues to grow driven by rapid PV industry development; in Europe, countries like Germany and the Netherlands maintain stable demand; in the US market, despite certain trade frictions, the market share of Chinese mounting products continues to grow.

Notably, total Chinese PV product exports exceeded RMB 200 billion for the fourth consecutive year in 2024. Within this, tracking mounts became a growth highlight – one company, leveraging smart tracking mounting systems, achieved about RMB 9 billion in sales revenue in 2024, a significant increase over previous years; another leading company sold 17.4 GW of tracking mounts, up 127.9% year‑on‑year, driven mainly by overseas production bases and localized manufacturing to improve delivery capacity. At the company level, Trina Solar disclosed in June 2024 that it expects full‑year mounting shipments to grow about 50%, and noted that overseas demand for PV mounting remains strong, with further growth of over 20% expected.

VI. Case Studies: Technology Validation Through Project Deployment

In 2024, a series of benchmark projects using innovative PV mounting and hook technologies reached completion, validating the value of technological advances in real‑world settings.

In Songjiang, Shanghai, a 504 kWp rooftop PV project at the production base of Shanghai Holystar Information Technology Co., Ltd. was completed and connected to the grid in December 2024. The project uses concrete blocks as the foundation for PV brackets, on which PV panels are installed, effectively protecting the existing concrete roof from potential water leakage that could be caused by new PV arrays, while also helping to reduce roof temperature. The project is expected to generate 595,400 kWh in its first year, saving about 180 tonnes of standard coal and reducing CO₂ emissions by about 560 tonnes annually.

In Yancheng, Jiangsu, a 2.3 MW flexible‑mounting distributed PV power generation project was successfully grid‑connected. The project adopts an advanced prestressed cable‑supported PV mounting technology, achieving large spans through a spatial structure combining suspension, tension, support, compression, and pressing. The lowest point of the modules is at least 5 meters above ground. The flexible mounting system improves power generation by about 5.5% compared to conventional designs, marking another important milestone in the city’s new energy development.