Market Boom: A Huge Installed Base Creates a New Blue Ocean for O&M
The global PV industry maintained high prosperity in 2024. According to China’s National Energy Administration (NEA), from January to November 2024, China’s newly installed PV capacity exceeded 200 GW, rapidly expanding operation and maintenance (O&M) demand. By the end of 2024, China’s cumulative PV installed capacity surpassed 500 GW, with more than 60% of power plants entering the mid-to-late operational phase, facing issues like efficiency degradation and equipment aging.
O&M demand in the installed base has become rigid. The China Business Industry Research Institute forecasts China’s PV O&M services market will reach RMB 24.8 billion (approx. USD 3.45 billion) in 2024. Globally, the solar O&M market was valued at USD 14.94 billion in 2024 and is expected to grow to USD 52.07 billion by 2034. Against this massive backdrop, safe access walkways for rooftop PV are more urgent than ever.
Walkway Types & Technical Specifications
In 2024, mainstream roof PV walkways are diverse and specialized, tailored to different applications and budgets:
1. Metal Grating (Steel Grating / Aluminum Grating)
Most widely used on commercial & industrial rooftops. Steel grating walkways feature an anti-slip, corrosion-resistant, lightweight & high-strength grid structure. Aluminum alloy walkways weigh about half that of steel grating, significantly reducing roof load while maintaining strength, gaining popularity.
2. Zinc-Aluminum-Magnesium Alloy Walkways
Driven by materials science, zinc-aluminum-magnesium alloy became a top choice in 2024. This material offers excellent corrosion resistance, weather resistance and wind resistance – far better than conventional galvanized steel for harsh environments. Its superior anti-corrosion performance reduces the need for frequent replacement in salt-spray or humid conditions.
3. FRP (Fiberglass Reinforced Plastic) Grating
FRP grating retains a niche due to its insulating and non-conductive properties. For example, in a 2,658 m² rooftop project in Guangxi, 50 cm wide FRP walkways were installed to meet strict requirements for corrosion resistance, slip resistance and electrical insulation.
The table below compares the comprehensive advantages of different walkway materials in 2024:
Key Tech Innovations in 2024
Beyond standard load-bearing walkways, creative patents and breakthroughs emerged:
1. Multi-functional Hybrid Cable Tray (Chinese patent)
In December 2024, Anhui Province Energy Trading Co., Ltd. received a patent for a “roof PV walkway hybrid cable tray.” Channel steel supports load-bearing plates – maintenance workers walk on them; when cable inspection or wiring is needed, the plates flip open, revealing channel steel grooves that act as cable trays. This design combines cable management and walkway into one, saving valuable roof space and allowing more area for PV panels.
2. Lightweight “Ladder-style” Aluminum Walkway
Conventional FRP or steel gratings have aging or weight issues. A 2024 patent for a PV maintenance walkway system offers a solution: a “ladder” design – die-cast aluminum vertical and horizontal steps, with step spacing of 50–60 cm. This reduces overall weight, roof load, and installation difficulty, and lowers long-term maintenance frequency.
Safety Codes: Guarding the “Life Passage”
In 2024, many local governments in China issued stricter regulations for rooftop distributed PV, with unprecedented requirements for safety walkways.
Multiple regions mandate that PV systems must not obstruct walkways, ventilation, lighting, fire protection or environmental equipment access and maintenance. The Xiamen Development and Reform Commission explicitly requires that distributed PV projects must not compromise the fire safety functions of the original building – fire rescue openings and evacuation routes must be preserved.
Professional O&M walkway design typically requires a width of 400–600 mm for personnel and tool passage; guardrails or safety anchor points at edges; and gaps to ensure drainage without ponding. These increasingly stringent codes directly drive procurement demand for rooftop PV walkways.
Global View: Walkable Solar Pavers Released in 2024
2024 was a standout year for BIPV (Building-Integrated Photovoltaics), especially “walkable solar tiles/panels.”
On November 28, Spanish BIPV manufacturer Onyx Solar launched a new walkable solar paver for decks, walkways, or terraces. The 75 x 75 cm tile has a nominal capacity of 75 W, with custom sizes up to 4 x 2 meters. It uses 8 mm thick safety glass with an anti‑slip surface, designed for pedestrian traffic only, but withstands up to 400 kg/m². Notably, Apple’s project in the US and several New York private residences have adopted this product.
Earlier in August, Turkey’s largest solar manufacturer Ankara Solar introduced the PV Floor series – durable walkable solar panels with a robust anti‑slip glass surface that resists foot traffic, impacts and abrasion. Suitable for commercial office buildings, residential courtyards, and park landscapes, this product line represents a shift of solar from “overhead” to “underfoot.”
