PV mounting brackets: from standard parts to project-tailored designs

PV mounting brackets are shifting from standard parts to tailored solutions. In Inner Mongolia’s Kubuqi Desert, 30cm-wider bases anchor brackets in sandy soil; in Shanghai, foldable rooftop brackets free up maintenance access. Such scenario-specific designs now dominate PV project orders.

Scenario-driven demand reshapes manufacturing: A leading firm’s customized orders 28% (2023) →53% (2024), 70% for desert/coastal/rooftop scenarios. The production manager put it plain and simple: “We used to crank out brackets for hundreds of projects on just one line—now we’ve got to tweak the molds every time the environment changes.” For desert brackets alone, they need to stand up to level-12 winds, stop sand from gumming things up, and handle big temperature swings.

Extreme conditions drive upgrades: Qaidam Basin (25m/s) optimized triangular brackets + sandbag fixes, wind resistance level 14, survived 2023 storms, power stability +18%.

Coastal brackets prioritize corrosion resistance. Guangdong’s Zhanjiang Island replaced rust-prone carbon steel with 316L stainless steel brackets (sandblasted surfaces, salt-spray seals). After three years, corrosion is just 1/5 the industry standard. “12% higher upfront cost pays off—service life doubles to 30 years,” the investor explained.

Urban distributed PV highlights rooftop bracket efficiency. Beijing’s logistics park uses “staggered 3D” brackets (two panel layers, 1.2m lower maintenance access), boosting capacity by 40% without disrupting operations. “Well-designed brackets turn space concerns into efficiency gains,” the park manager said.

Customization reshapes competition. Small low-cost manufacturers don’t have any real tech reserves, but the industry leaders are using over 200 regional datasets—things like wind, soil, humidity—to put together tailored solutions. The CTO put it plain and simple: “Brackets for Xinjiang’s deserts and Hainan Island need totally different specs—no data, no orders.”

China’s customized bracket market hit 8bn yuan in 2024, projected to reach 12bn in 2025. Experts say this shift means the PV industry is moving from “extensive growth” to “refined operation”—enterprises that match brackets to environments will lead the market.