In 2023, as extreme weather events occurred frequently around the world – Typhoon Doksuri sweeping across East Asia and Category 5 tropical cyclone Ilsa ravaging Western Australia – wind-resistant ballasted solar mounting systems stood out for their exceptional stability and innovative designs, becoming a focal point of the industry, as photovoltaic power plants faced severe tests from gales and storms.

With the acceleration of the global energy transition, the application scenarios of PV power plants continue to expand – from flat rooftops to complex mountainous terrain, water surfaces, and even harsh environments such as saline-alkali land and deserts – all of which demand higher wind resistance performance from PV mounting systems. In 2023, many domestic and international companies launched innovative wind-resistant ballasted solar mounting systems and validated their reliability under extreme weather conditions through real-world projects.

I. Technological Innovation: Multi-Dimensional Breakthroughs in Materials and Structures

In the field of ballasted solar mounting systems, technological innovation became the main theme of 2023.

Lightweight material innovations: Spanish startup Landatu Solar unveiled an innovative plastic ballasted mounting system called "Landblock" at the Genera trade fair in Madrid in February 2023. Made of high-density polyethylene, the system weighs less than 3 kg when empty, and can reach a maximum weight of 100 kg when filled with water, gravel, or sand, while withstanding wind speeds of up to 162 km/h. According to the company, the system is ten times lighter than traditional concrete ballast mounts and is easy to transport – more than 40 units can be stacked in one square meter of space, greatly reducing logistics costs.

Multi-point fixation enhances wind resistance: Sun Ballast launched a new system called "No-Flex" in November 2023, providing an innovative solution to the bending issue of large solar modules. The system adds additional support points in the middle of the modules, increasing the number of fixation points from the traditional 4 to 6, significantly improving the modules' flexural strength. Fluid dynamics test results showed that with the No-Flex system, glass breakage resistance increased by 12%, frame mechanical strength increased by 46%, and fastener structural strength increased by 200%. This multi-point fixation design effectively solves the industry problem of large modules being prone to deformation under strong winds.

Grid-like interconnection design: Sun Ballast's Connect system connects the ballast blocks and PV modules into an integrated grid, interlinking each row of modules and greatly improving the overall wind resistance of the system. The system has a total load coverage of approximately 15–20 kg/m² and can accommodate installation tilt angles from 5° to 30°. In the Torre del Greco project along the coast of Naples, Italy, this interconnected system successfully withstood sea winds exceeding 150 km/h, with the ballast forming a collaborative integrated lattice structure that is both lightweight and extremely stable.

Deflectors and wind tunnel validation: Alusín Solar's Picos 4.0 ballast system features an all-aluminum structure with side deflectors and rear windshields, effectively reducing wind ingress, and uses six fixation points to firmly secure the solar panels. The system has completed wind tunnel testing and validation, withstanding wind speeds of 144 km/h under standard test conditions and up to 250 km/h at maximum configuration, while also being compatible with frameless solar panels.

II. Real-World Testing Under Extreme Weather

Severe test from Super Typhoon Doksuri:

On July 28, 2023, Super Typhoon Doksuri made landfall in Jinjiang, Fujian Province, with maximum sustained winds near the center reaching 16 on the Beaufort scale (50 m/s), becoming the strongest typhoon to make landfall in Quanzhou, Fujian, on record. During the typhoon's onslaught, numerous PV projects underwent extreme conditions.

The Quangang Petrochemical 21.05 MW PV EPC project of Guoneng (Quanzhou) Thermal Power Co., Ltd. in Quangang District, Quanzhou City, Fujian Province, was located directly in the path of the typhoon's center. The project adopted a cable-supported flexible PV mounting system with a maximum span of 70 meters and a maximum height of 12.3 meters – the largest distributed PV power station using flexible mounts in Fujian Province at the time. During the typhoon, monitoring data showed that from 11:50 to 12:55, strong winds persisted at Force 14 or above, and at 15:25, instantaneous wind speeds approached 50 m/s. After the typhoon passed, a comprehensive inspection revealed no deformation of the overall structural system, no settlement of the mount foundations, no loosening of the soil around the caps, and the main structure had withstood the severe test of a Force 15 typhoon.

Also in Tong'an District, Xiamen City, Solar First's self-built rooftop PV power plant remained intact during Typhoon Doksuri. The plant was approximately 60 km from the typhoon's landfall center but still within the Force 12 wind radius. The project adopted a comprehensive steel structure mounting solution, strictly following national structural load standards and comprehensively considering multiple variables such as roof shape, building height, and load-bearing capacity, validating the reliability of its typhoon-resistant design. Multiple PV plants supplied with mounts by Jingzhao Energy, including projects in Quanzhou and Xiamen, also withstood the test of a Force 16 typhoon, with all equipment operating normally and no damage.

Extreme challenge from Category 5 Tropical Cyclone Ilsa in Australia:

In the early hours of April 13, 2023, Category 5 Tropical Cyclone Ilsa made landfall on the Kimberley coast of Western Australia with extreme wind gusts of up to 274 km/h, causing devastating damage to local infrastructure. The Pardoo Roadhouse and Tavern suffered approximately AU$4 million in losses. However, the PV-ezRack SolarTerrace III-A ground PV mounting system, manufactured by Clenergy, remained intact after the cyclone. The system is made of high-strength 6005-T5 aluminum alloy and 304 stainless steel fasteners and can be installed with concrete ballast foundations or ground screws, demonstrating exceptional durability in harsh, corrosive environments.

III. Domestic Companies' Presence and Market Expansion

In 2023, Chinese companies also demonstrated strong competitiveness in the field of wind-resistant PV mounts.

Jiangsu Qida New Materials launched a symmetrical matrix ballast mounting system for non-penetrating flat roofs in March 2023. The system uses concrete ballast for fixation, and its unique symmetrical matrix design makes the structure more stable, while balancing wind resistance with installation efficiency and ease of packaging and transport.

Grace Solar's BM3 ballast system improves overall wind resistance by adding wind deflector components. The system is pre-assembled for easy installation and is suitable for flat roofs that require a certain tilt angle. Mibet New Energy's RM-Ad ballast mounting system is made of high-quality anodized aluminum, achieves non-penetrating installation through a matrix design, and incorporates wind deflectors to effectively improve wind resistance.

DAS Solar was invited to participate in the first Renewable Energy Power Technology Innovation and Industrial Development Conference in July 2023, where it shared technical achievements related to its flexible mounts. The mounts use an east-west prestressed galvanized steel strand combined with a north-south flexible + rigid stable wind-resistant system, forming a two-way cable-net structure that greatly improves wind vibration resistance, demonstrating stable and reliable wind resistance in windy regions such as Inner Mongolia.

IV. Future Outlook

The market experience of 2023 has fully demonstrated that wind-resistant ballasted solar mounting systems have become a key safeguard for PV power plants against extreme weather. From lightweight plastic ballast systems in Spain to flexible cable-net mounts in China, and from interconnected grid designs on the Italian coast to all-aluminum mounts in Australian cyclones, technological innovation is driving the industry toward higher wind resistance ratings, lower costs, and easier installation.

According to industry experts, as climate change intensifies and extreme weather events become more frequent, wind resistance design standards for PV power plants are likely to be further upgraded. Ballasted mounting systems, with their advantages of non-penetration, high flexibility, and easy installation, are expected to continue expanding their market share in application scenarios such as flat roofs, complex terrain, and offshore PV. At the same time, new systems such as flexible mounts and floating PV will continue to improve their wind resistance through technological innovation, providing a solid guarantee for the safe and efficient operation of the PV industry in an even wider range of applications.