I. Introduction

In 2023, the global photovoltaic (PV) industry continued its rapid growth trajectory. As a critical support system for PV power stations, solar roof mounting brackets encountered unprecedented development opportunities. Driven by carbon neutrality goals, countries around the world have introduced supportive policies to accelerate the adoption of rooftop distributed PV. China, as the world's largest PV market, set a new record for newly installed PV capacity in 2023, with distributed PV — especially residential PV — performing particularly strongly. Against this backdrop, the PV mounting bracket industry exhibited multiple characteristics, including accelerated technological innovation, rapid product iteration, intensified market competition, and active capital market activities. The industry landscape is undergoing profound reshaping.

II. Continued Global Market Expansion, Roof Mounting Brackets Become a Major Growth Driver

From a global perspective, the solar roof mounting bracket industry delivered outstanding results in 2023. According to data released by market research firm Global Growth Insights, the global solar roof mounting bracket market was valued at approximately US$13.03 billion in 2023 and is projected to grow to US$38.34 billion by 2032, representing a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of about 11.7% over the forecast period. Other research reports indicate that the rooftop PV mounting systems market is expected to grow from US$30.01 billion in 2024 to US$166.1 billion by 2032, with a CAGR as high as 23.85%.

Multiple factors jointly drove this market growth. Increasing investment in renewable energy, favorable government policies and incentives for solar installations, and growing demand for efficient and durable mounting solutions for residential and commercial solar projects were the main drivers. Major regions such as North America, Europe, and Asia-Pacific accelerated the adoption of solar technology. Leading countries in solar production, including the United States, Germany, and China, further stimulated the growth of the solar roof mounting market through incentives and subsidies.

At the same time, lightweight and flexible mounting solutions became an important market trend. Manufacturers are developing brackets made of advanced materials such as aluminum alloy and stainless steel, offering superior durability while minimizing total system weight. This is particularly important for residential and commercial buildings. The integration of digital technology also accelerated. Smart mounting solutions equipped with monitoring sensors and IoT connectivity are becoming increasingly popular, enabling real-time tracking of solar panel performance, weather conditions, and system maintenance needs.

III. Intensive Policy and Standard Issuance, Accelerated Industry Standardization

In 2023, significant progress was made in China regarding policies, regulations, and standard systems for PV mounting brackets. In September, the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development drafted the mandatory national standard "Solar Power Generation Engineering Project Specification (Draft for Comments)". It set clear requirements for PV bracket design: PV brackets and foundations must be designed according to the ultimate limit state and meet the requirements of the serviceability limit state. The safety class of PV brackets should be no lower than Level 3, and the safety class of the bracket foundation should not be lower than that of the upper bracket structure. This specification provides a unified mandatory technical basis for the design, manufacturing, and installation of PV brackets and is of great significance for improving the overall quality of the industry.

Regarding standard revision, on October 24, 2023, the inaugural meeting of the compilation team for the revision of the construction industry standards "General Technical Requirements for Building-Integrated Photovoltaic Components", "General Technical Requirements for Solar PV System Brackets for Buildings", and "General Technical Requirements for Building-Integrated Solar Thermal Components" was held in Beijing, led by China Architecture Design & Research Group. With the implementation of the national standard "General Code for Building Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Utilization", the application of solar systems in new buildings has become mandatory. The revision of these three standards will provide standard bases for enterprises producing building-use solar components and bracket products and promote the standardized application of solar systems in buildings.

In addition, the group standard T/CEPPEA 5017-2023 "Technical Specification for Large-Span Cable-Supported PV Bracket Structures" was officially released, filling the standard gap in the field of large-span flexible brackets. Meanwhile, the "Carbon Peaking and Carbon Neutrality Standard System Construction Guide" issued by the State Administration for Market Regulation and other departments included key product technical requirements for PV support structures in the key revision scope, further strengthening the supporting role of PV brackets in the carbon peaking and carbon neutrality strategy.

IV. Multi-Point Technological Innovation, Accelerated Product Iteration

In 2023, technological innovation in the PV bracket field exhibited a multi-point breakthrough pattern, with flexible brackets, BIPV (Building-Integrated Photovoltaics), and intelligent tracking systems becoming the core drivers of industry development.

Flexible brackets became a new industry trend. Flexible brackets that can overcome terrain limitations became a new direction for industry development. According to incomplete statistics, the domestic installation volume of flexible brackets in 2023 exceeded 3 GW, of which 70% were used in mountain PV projects and 30% in fishery and water surface PV projects. Arctech globally launched its "3D Geographic Information System (GIS) + Numerical Wind Tunnel (CFD) Simulation" application technology at the 2023 China International Fair for Trade in Services, providing a theoretical basis for improving the reliability and structural optimization design of large-span flexible cable-supported brackets in complex terrains. DAS Solar's flexible PV bracket system, with cables as the main load-bearing components, can achieve large spans of 20-40 meters and a maximum continuous length exceeding 1,500 meters from east to west, effectively solving the construction difficulties of conventional PV brackets that cannot span hillsides and gullies. The successful completion of the agricultural-PV hybrid technical transformation project in Fengqing, Yunnan Province, became DAS Solar's first flexible bracket project in Yunnan, verifying the advantages of flexible brackets in mountainous environments.

BIPV products underwent comprehensive upgrades. At SNEC 2023, Antai New Energy launched its "Taiyang Ding" all-aluminum BIPV full-scenario solution, covering three major applicable scenarios: single-roof, single-roof with insulation layer, and double-roof, capable of meeting various distributed application needs from new roofs to old factory buildings. The entire series uses Antai's self-developed high-performance aluminum alloy, featuring 100% waterproofing, light weight, high strength, super corrosion resistance, and long life. The product also received the all-aluminum BIPV waterproof certification certificate from TÜV NORD, representing reliable 100% waterproof performance. At the same exhibition, JA Solar Smart Energy launched four innovative solutions: sunroom, flat-to-slope conversion, truss, and courtyard. Among them, the truss solution achieved large-span PV installation, particularly suitable for houses with complex structures.

The intelligence level of PV brackets continued to improve. Antai New Energy released its next-generation solar roof intelligent design platform — SolarAID — at Intersolar Europe 2023. The platform aims to simplify the design and quotation process for rooftop PV projects. Its design efficiency is 15 times that of traditional project design processes. Users only need to submit project information to generate the optimal professional layout with one click. In terms of tracking systems, Antai's tracking system intelligent solution 3.0 comprehensively optimized tracking systems from both algorithm and structural perspectives, achieving a 2%-9% power generation gain.

Patent applications and R&D investment increased significantly. In 2023, LONGi Green Energy obtained 454 new patent authorizations, an increase of 160.92% compared to the same period last year. Its R&D investment in the first half of the year reached RMB 976 million, a year-on-year increase of 111.09%. JinkoSolar's new bracket solution was successfully selected into the "2023 PV Industry Innovation Achievement Recommendation Catalogue". By optimizing bracket design to reduce back-side shading of bifacial modules, this solution reduces bracket steel consumption by 10%-25% while increasing power generation. The "Quick-installation Structure for PV Color Steel Tile Roofs" applied by Huanghe Company XinYe Company obtained a utility model patent. In a 33 MW distributed PV construction project, this patent saved RMB 41,000 per MW of investment.

V. Key Projects and Major Engineering

In 2023, several benchmark rooftop PV projects were successfully implemented. On January 12, a 30 MW rooftop distributed PV power station in Zhenjiang City was successfully connected to the grid and put into operation. This is currently the largest flexible-roof distributed PV power station in China. The project utilized 210,000 square meters of flexible roof resources at Farasis Energy (Zhenjiang) Co., Ltd., with an annual power generation capacity of 56 million kWh. Over its 25-year operating period, it is estimated to save 227,000 tons of standard coal and reduce CO₂ emissions by approximately 630,000 tons.

In the Taiwan market, benefiting from the global green energy trend, Yieh Hsing's sales of steel materials for solar PV system brackets reached 80,000 tons in 2023, exceeding the full-year total for 2022, achieving significant gains in both domestic and export markets. Yieh Hsing also partnered with panel manufacturer AUO to develop SunSteel photovoltaic integrated corrugated panels, which, unlike the complex construction methods of traditional PV brackets, enable rapid installation and avoid secondary construction.

VI. Company Developments and Capital Markets

In 2023, PV bracket companies made frequent moves in the capital markets, with many accelerating capacity expansion through IPOs and private placements.

Yongzhen Co., Ltd. officially filed for an IPO on the Shanghai Main Board in April 2023, planning to raise RMB 1.725 billion for aluminum alloy PV frames, brackets, and energy storage battery tray projects. Hillhouse Capital and Junlian Capital were the second and third largest shareholders of the company, respectively. Yongzhen is one of China's leading manufacturers of aluminum alloy PV structural parts, with an annual production capacity of nearly 80 million sets of PV frames and a market share of approximately 13.04%.

Yihua Enterprise's RMB 533 million private placement application was approved by the Shenzhen Stock Exchange in March. The funds will be used for the Yueqing PV bracket core component production base construction project and the PV bracket full-scenario application R&D and experimental base construction project. Arctech released a private placement plan in August 2023, intending to raise no more than RMB 1.151 billion for multiple expansion projects. However, the issue of lower-than-expected returns from previous fundraising projects also drew regulatory attention.

In terms of industry accolades, in November 2023, Xiamen Solar First Energy Technology Co., Ltd. won the "Top 10 PV Bracket Brands of the Year" award for its innovative achievements in the PV bracket field over many years. The company's product range includes PV tracking systems, floating PV brackets, flexible suspension brackets, BIPV systems, etc., supplying over 10 GW of products to more than 100 countries and regions. In the same month, Antai New Energy also won two major industry awards: "Top 10 PV Bracket Brands of the Year" and "Top 10 BIPV Solution Brands of the Year".

VII. Outlook and Trends

Looking ahead to 2024 and beyond, the solar roof PV mounting bracket industry will continue to maintain rapid development. As the global carbon neutrality process deepens, the strategic role of distributed PV in the energy transition will become even more prominent. At the technological level, innovative products such as flexible brackets, BIPV, and intelligent tracking systems will further mature, and lightweight, intelligent, and integrated design will become the core directions for product development. At the policy level, continuous improvements in relevant standards and specifications will provide strong support for the healthy development of the industry. As the PV industry enters a grid parity era, more cost-effective and innovative bracket solutions will gain broader market space. It is foreseeable that the solar roof PV mounting bracket industry will play an increasingly important role in the global green energy transition.