In a solar photovoltaic (PV) power generation system, the PV mounting system plays an indispensable role. As a key structure for supporting and securing solar panels, its significance is comparable to the foundation of a house—it directly impacts the stability, safety, and power generation efficiency of the entire PV system.
PV mounting systems come in a wide range of types to meet different installation requirements and site conditions.
-
Fixed PV Mounting Systems are widely used. During the design phase, geographical and climatic conditions of the installation site are taken into account to pre-calculate a fixed angle that allows PV modules to capture the maximum solar radiation, thereby achieving optimal power output. Once installed, the position of the modules remains unchanged. These systems are cost-effective, structurally stable, and incur low long-term maintenance costs.
-
Tracking PV Mounting Systems are equipped with a tracking mechanism, enabling PV modules to adjust their angles at regular intervals following the sun’s movement. This significantly extends the average annual sunlight exposure time and greatly boosts power generation. However, they require higher initial investment, demand regular maintenance, and a larger array spacing is needed when PV modules are installed at a steeper tilt angle.
From the perspective of installation scenarios, common types include:
- Ground Mounting Systems: Suitable for large-scale PV power plants, they can be flexibly adjusted to adapt to complex terrain, offering excellent stability and safety.
- Roof Mounting Systems: Designed for rooftop installation, they effectively save space and enhance power generation efficiency.
- Floating Mounting Systems: Enable PV power projects to be implemented on water bodies such as lakes and reservoirs.
- Column-type Solar Mounting Systems: Primarily used for installing larger-sized PV modules, they are often deployed in high-wind areas. These systems allow horizontal angle adjustments as needed and require no on-site welding during installation, making the process convenient and efficient.
Currently, PV mounting systems commonly used in China are mainly categorized into three types based on material: concrete, steel, and aluminum alloy.
-
Concrete Mounting Systems: Characterized by high self-weight, they are typically used in large-scale PV power plants and require installation in outdoor areas with good foundational conditions. Despite this, they offer exceptional stability and can support oversized solar panels.
-
Steel Mounting Systems: Boast stable performance, mature manufacturing processes, strong load-bearing capacity, and easy installation. They are widely applied in civil PV systems, industrial PV projects, and solar power plants. Among them, section steel is mostly produced in a standardized manner in factories, featuring uniform specifications, stable performance, excellent corrosion resistance, and an aesthetic appearance.
Notably, the combined steel mounting system only requires assembling channel steel with specially designed connectors during on-site installation. This ensures fast construction speed and eliminates the need for welding, effectively preserving the integrity of the anti-corrosion coating. However, its connectors involve complex manufacturing processes and a wide variety of types, which impose high requirements on production and design, leading to a relatively higher price.
- Aluminum Alloy Mounting Systems: Generally used in solar projects on the rooftops of residential buildings. They offer corrosion resistance, light weight, durability, and an attractive appearance. However, their self-load-bearing capacity is relatively low, making them unsuitable for solar power plant projects, and their cost is slightly higher than that of hot-dip galvanized steel.
The design of PV mounting systems requires comprehensive consideration of multiple factors.
-
Weather Resistance is a top priority: The system must be robust and reliable, capable of withstanding atmospheric corrosion, wind loads, and other external impacts.
-
Material Selection: Materials must have sufficient strength to resist the effects of climatic factors for at least 30 years and remain stable even under extreme weather conditions such as blizzards and typhoons.
-
Slot Rail Design: Mounting systems should be equipped with slot rails for wire placement to prevent electric shock hazards. Meanwhile, electrical equipment should be installed in locations that are not exposed to harsh environments and allow easy regular maintenance.
-
Installation Requirements: The installation process must be safe and reliable, achieving maximum usability at minimum installation cost. The system should also be nearly maintenance-free, and any necessary repairs should be straightforward and dependable.
To meet these design requirements, high-quality mounting systems typically use computer software to simulate extreme weather conditions for design verification. They also undergo rigorous mechanical performance tests—such as tensile strength and yield strength tests—to ensure product durability. For instance, in high-wind areas, wind resistance design is particularly critical; measures like enhancing structural strength and optimizing the bracket form are adopted to improve wind resistance. In highly humid or corrosive environments (e.g., coastal areas), materials with strong corrosion resistance are selected, or special anti-corrosion treatments are applied to the materials.
PV mounting systems are widely used in various PV power generation scenarios.
-
Large-scale Ground PV Power Plants: Through the rational layout of ground mounting systems, large-scale installation of solar panels is achieved, converting vast wastelands and deserts into green energy production bases and supplying large amounts of clean electricity to the power grid.
-
Industrial and Residential Rooftops: Installing roof mounting systems and PV modules on the rooftops of industrial plants and residential buildings not only makes efficient use of idle space to realize "self-consumption with surplus power fed into the grid" (reducing electricity costs for enterprises and households) but also reduces buildings’ reliance on traditional energy sources, contributing to energy conservation and emission reduction.
-
"Fishery-PV Complementary" and "Agriculture-PV Complementary" Projects: The combined use of floating and ground mounting systems integrates PV power generation with fishery breeding and agricultural cultivation. This creates additional green energy value without disrupting existing production activities, improving the comprehensive utilization efficiency of land and water resources.
-
Remote or Unstable Power Supply Areas: Small-scale distributed PV systems, paired with suitable PV mounting systems, provide reliable power support for local residents and facilities, improving living and production conditions.
As a crucial component of solar PV power systems, the type, material, design, and application of PV mounting systems are closely linked to the performance and benefits of the entire system. With the continuous development of the PV industry, PV mounting technology is also undergoing constant innovation and improvement to better adapt to complex environments and diverse application needs, playing a vital role in advancing the global transition to green energy.
Your message must be between 20-3,000 characters!
