The ultimate showdown of photovoltaic bracket materials: Why does zinc-aluminum-magnesium outshine traditional solutions

Performance Parameter Showdown: Three Sets of Data Subvert Perceptions

The life cycle of photovoltaic brackets is essentially a war between materials and nature. Laboratory data shows that in the 5% NaCl salt spray test, zinc-aluminum-magnesium material achieved no red rust for 3,000 hours, while hot-dip galvanized steel could only maintain it for 600 hours, and aluminum alloy showed pitting corrosion after 1,000 hours. This difference in corrosion resistance directly translates into the "time currency" of power station operation - the design life of zinc-aluminum-magnesium supports can reach 30 years, which is more than 50% longer than that of traditional materials.

Material performance comparison table：

The self-healing ability of zinc, aluminum and magnesium can be called the "superhero" of the material industry. When the support is cut or scratched, the magnesium element in the coating migrates to form a protective film of magnesium hydroxide. This process was clearly recorded in the laboratory accelerated test - the zinc-aluminum-magnesium samples after being scratched were repaired within 72 hours, while the rusted area of the hot-dip galvanized steel had expanded by three times.

Full life cycle cost: Achieve cost overtaking in the tenth year

"The initial cost is 15% higher, but the full-cycle cost drops by 40%." This is the calculation conclusion of the engineers from Sungrow Power Supply on the zinc-aluminum-magnesium bracket. By constructing a TCO model that includes material procurement, installation and maintenance, it was found that zinc-aluminum-magnesium achieved cost overtaking in the 10th year, and the cost per watt was 0.12 yuan lower than that of hot-dip galvanized steel within a 25-year period.

The cost miracle stems from three levers:

Maintenance reset: Traditional brackets need rust removal and repainting every five years, with a cumulative maintenance cost of 0.3 yuan per watt. Zinc-aluminum-magnesium brackets achieve "installation and forgetting"

Strength dividend: Under the same load-bearing conditions, it can reduce material usage by 20% and lower transportation costs by 18%

Output value advantage: The recovery rate of zinc-aluminum-magnesium materials after retirement reaches 95%, which is 15 percentage points higher than that of hot-dip galvanized steel

The practical data of a certain EPC enterprise supports this conclusion: In the 200MW fishery-photovoltaic complementary project in Yancheng, Jiangsu Province, the adoption of zinc-aluminum-magnesium brackets reduced the cost per kilowatt-hour by 0.015 yuan /kWh and increased the project's IRR by 1.2 percentage points.

Scene Adaptation Matrix: Find your Best Partner

There is no universal material, but there is the best choice. Zinc, aluminum and magnesium exhibit overwhelming advantages in highly corrosive environments, especially suitable for the following scenarios:

Coastal/high salt spray areas: Within 5 kilometers of the coastline, the corrosion resistance of zinc-aluminum-magnesium is 5 to 10 times that of hot-dip galvanized steel. Calculations for a 300MW project in Zhanjiang, Guangdong Province, show that the use of zinc-aluminum-magnesium can save over 20 million yuan in anti-corrosion maintenance costs for 25 years.

Fishery photovoltaic complementary project: The high humidity environment of water-based photovoltaic systems accelerates material aging, and the self-healing properties of zinc, aluminum and magnesium come into full play here. The comparative data of the Anhui Chaohu project shows that the corrosion rate of its supports is only 1/8 of that of hot-dip galvanized steel.

Extreme climate zones: In the severe cold of Northeast China at -30℃ or in the deserts of Northwest China at 50℃, zinc, aluminum and magnesium maintain stable mechanical properties. In the Hami project in Xinjiang, after experiencing a 12-level gale, none of the zinc-aluminum-magnesium supports were damaged, while three bolts of the traditional supports broke.

However, the selection of materials requires rational weighing: in low-corrosion inland areas, hot-dip galvanized steel still has a cost advantage; When rooftop distributed projects are sensitive to load-bearing, the lightweight characteristics of aluminum alloy are more attractive. Three principles for scene adaptation - for corrosion grade > C3, choose zinc-aluminum-magnesium; for load-bearing limitations, select aluminum alloy; for cost priority and mild environment, choose hot-dip galvanized steel.

Industry Transformation: The Evolution from "Usable" to "Durable"

As photovoltaic power enters the era of grid parity, power station operators are doing a new calculation: instead of spending millions of yuan each year maintaining traditional brackets, it is better to invest in zinc, aluminum and magnesium materials all at once. This cognitive shift has driven the market penetration rate of zinc-aluminum-magnesium brackets to soar from 5% in 2020 to 35% in 2025, and it is expected to become the mainstream choice by 2030.

Technological innovation has never ceased. The latest nano-composite zinc-aluminum-magnesium coating developed by Handan Iron and Steel has increased the salt spray resistance to 4,000 hours. The ultra-thin coating technology launched by Shougang has reduced material costs by 12%. These breakthroughs are reshaping the competitive landscape of the industry - those enterprises that embrace new materials first are gaining more lasting competitiveness.