SNEC Encounter — When Cost Reduction Pressure Meets the "Dual Carbon" Goals: A New Structure for High-Quality Development of PV Systems Built with Low-Carbon Steel

As the PV industry enters the large-scale base construction phase, safety and system reliability are becoming the core elements for the long-term operation of PV power plants. This is particularly true in regions prone to extreme weather conditions, such as deserts, gobi, mountainous, coastal, and marine areas, where the strength, stability, and weather resistance of materials are of utmost importance.

With the ongoing trend towards larger and thinner PV modules, there is an urgent need to enhance the mechanical strength of PV systems. The industry is in dire need of load standards with higher safety ratings. The PV frame is a crucial component of the module, serving as the framework material primarily used for fixing and sealing PV modules. It significantly impacts the module's lifespan and requires high weather resistance. Based on the material, PV frames can be classified into aluminum alloy frames, steel frames, and composite material frames. Among them, aluminum alloy frames are widely used, with a current penetration rate exceeding 93%. Additionally, PV frames are considered high-value auxiliary materials for modules. In the cost structure of PV modules, the cost of solar cells accounts for approximately 55%. Based on the current common dimensions and weight of aluminum frames, PV frames account for about 13% of the cost, which is higher than other auxiliary materials such as EVA, glass, backsheets, and welding strips, making them the auxiliary material with the highest cost proportion. Due to cost pressures, aluminum frames continue to reduce weight, lower height, and thin wall thickness, while the module area continues to expand, posing challenges to safety. The industry urgently needs to establish load standards with higher safety ratings to ensure the stable operation and full life cycle reliability of power plants under extreme conditions.

In the early days of China's PV industry development, aluminum alloy became the primary material for module frames due to its lightweight, strong corrosion resistance, and ease of forming. However, in recent years, as the application scenarios of PV modules have become increasingly diverse, modules are exposed to more extreme environments, necessitating the optimization and transformation of module frame technologies and materials. This has led to the emergence of various alternative frame solutions, such as frameless double-glass modules, steel structure frames, rubber frames, and composite material frames.

At this influential exhibition in the global PV industry, Zhongjian Materials made a stunning debut with its "double-beam alloy steel frame." Leveraging its leading advantages in high strength, high safety, high adaptability, high corrosion resistance, and ultra-low carbon emissions, Zhongjian Materials' booth attracted numerous domestic and international customers, experts, and scholars, becoming one of the most-watched booths at the exhibition.

As the PV industry enters the large-scale base construction phase, safety and system reliability are becoming the core elements for the long-term operation of PV power plants. This is particularly true in regions prone to extreme weather conditions, such as deserts, gobi, mountainous, coastal, and marine areas, where the strength, stability, and weather resistance of materials are of utmost importance.

Due to cost pressure, aluminum frames continue to reduce weight, lower height, and thin wall thickness, while the module area keeps expanding, posing challenges to safety. The industry urgently needs to establish higher safety-level load standards to ensure the stable operation of power plants under extreme conditions and the reliability throughout their life cycle.