When designing a reliable and cost-effective solar PV system, the choice of mounting structure material plays a crucial role. Two of the most common materials used are aluminum and steel—but which one is better?

This article compares the two from key aspects including durability, weight, corrosion resistance, cost, and application scenarios.

1. Durability and Structural Strength

Steel is generally stronger and better suited for large-scale ground-mounted systems where high wind or snow loads are a concern.

Aluminum, while lighter, still offers adequate strength for rooftop and carport applications, especially with proper design.

Verdict: Steel wins in strength, especially for utility-scale and harsh environments.

2. Weight and Ease of Installation

Aluminum is significantly lighter than steel, making it easier and faster to transport and install—especially on rooftops.

Less weight means less stress on the roof and often lower labor costs.

Verdict: Aluminum offers clear advantages in weight-sensitive installations.

3. Corrosion Resistance

Aluminum naturally resists corrosion without the need for additional coating.

Steel requires galvanization or special coatings (e.g., hot-dip galvanized or Zn-Al-Mg) to withstand corrosion, especially in coastal or humid environments.

Verdict: Aluminum is better suited for corrosive environments such as coastal areas and high humidity zones.

4. Cost

Steel is generally more cost-effective in terms of raw material price.

However, aluminum can reduce total costs by lowering transportation and installation time.

Verdict: Steel may win on material price, but aluminum can reduce overall project cost in the right scenario.

5. Application Suitability

In terms of application suitability, aluminum is recommended for rooftop systems and coastal areas due to its lightweight and corrosion resistance.

For large utility-scale farms, steel is typically preferred thanks to its superior strength.

Carports can use either material depending on the specific design requirements.

In regions with heavy snow or wind loads, steel is generally the better choice.

Conclusion

Both aluminum and steel have their own advantages depending on project type and site conditions.

Aluminum is ideal for lightweight, corrosion-resistant rooftop and residential systems, while steel is often the preferred choice for cost-sensitive, large-scale installations requiring higher structural strength.

If you're looking for a reliable solar mounting solution provider, UISOLAR offers both aluminum and steel systems that are certified, customizable, and engineered for long-term durability.

With over 15 years of experience and projects in more than 100 countries, UISOLAR is committed to helping you find the right structure for every solar project—from residential rooftops to utility-scale solar farms.

As the first full moon of the lunar year rises, we celebrate the Lantern Festival, a cherished tradition that marks the end of the Chinese New Year festivities. At UIsolar, we embrace this time of joy, reflection, and togetherness, and we extend our warmest wishes to you and your loved ones for a Lantern Festival filled with happiness, prosperity, and bright beginnings.

The Lantern Festival, also known as Yuanxiao Festival, is a time-honored celebration of unity and hope. Families gather to enjoy sweet yuanxiao (glutinous rice balls), admire the glow of lanterns, and solve riddles written on them. These traditions remind us of the importance of connection, creativity, and looking forward to a brighter future.

At UISOLAR, we are inspired by the spirit of the Lantern Festival. Just as lanterns light up the night sky, we strive to illuminate new possibilities for our customers and partners  . This festival is a reminder of the strength we find in unity and the joy we create when we come together.

Join Us in Celebrating the Lantern Festival!

As we celebrate the Lantern Festival, we are reminded of the power of light to guide us forward. At UISOLAR, we are committed to being a beacon of innovation, collaboration, and excellence for our community. Thank you for being a part of our journey, and we look forward to achieving new heights together in the year ahead.

Wishing you a Lantern Festival filled with warmth, joy, and endless possibilities!

The term "clamping hook" in the context of solar installations almost always refers to a key component in the racking system used for mounting solar panels, specifically for standing seam metal roofs.

Here’s a detailed breakdown of what it is, how it works, and why it's important.

1. What is a Clamping Hook?

A clamping hook is a specialized mounting bracket designed to attach solar panel railings to a standing seam metal roof without penetrating the roof membrane.

Clamping: It uses a set of bolts to mechanically clamp onto the raised vertical seam of the roof.

Hook: The top part of the device is shaped like a hook or a cleat that fits over and grabs the seam.

This creates a incredibly strong, durable, and watertight connection point for the solar array.

2. How Does It Work?

The process involves a few key steps:

Positioning: The clamp is placed over the top of the standing seam.

Fastening: Bolts on the side(s) of the clamp are tightened. This forces the clamp's jaws to grip the sides of the seam tightly.

Attaching the Rail: The solar mounting rail is then secured into the channel or onto the base of the installed clamp, often with another bolt.

Mounting the Panel: Finally, the solar panels are attached to the rails with standard panel clamps.

This entire system is mechanical and requires no drilling, welding, or adhesives on the roof seam itself.

3. Key Advantages and Benefits

No Penetration: This is the biggest advantage. It preserves the integrity of the roof and its warranty, as there are no holes that could potentially leak.

Extreme Wind Resistance: Properly installed clamping hooks have very high pull-out strength and are rated to withstand even hurricane-force winds. The connection actually gets stronger as wind tries to lift the panel (upward force tightens the clamp further on the seam).

Speed of Installation: Installation is typically faster than penetrative methods because there's no need to measure, drill, seal, and bolt through the roof deck.

Versatility: Many clamp designs are adjustable to fit a wide range of standing seam profiles (widths and heights), making them compatible with many different roof brands.

Roof Warranty Friendly: Many roofing manufacturers approve the use of specific clamp systems, which can make the solar installation process smoother.

As global demand for renewable energy continues to grow, floating solar (also known as floating photovoltaic or FPV) is emerging as one of the most innovative solutions in the solar industry. By installing photovoltaic modules on floating platforms over water surfaces, FPV systems not only generate clean energy but also make efficient use of underutilized water resources. Let’s take a closer look at the types of floating solar systems and their typical application scenarios.

1. Types of Floating Solar Systems

(1) Pure Floating PV System

This is the most common form of FPV, where solar panels are mounted on buoyant floating structures directly on the water’s surface.

Advantages: Simple structure, cost-effective, fast installation.

Limitations: Limited flexibility in extreme weather or large wave conditions.

Applications: Small- to medium-scale projects on calm reservoirs, ponds, or lakes.

(2) Anchored Floating PV System

In these systems, floating arrays are anchored or moored to the waterbed to ensure stability.

Advantages: Enhanced resistance to wind, currents, and waves; safer in long-term operation.

Limitations: Higher installation cost due to anchoring systems.

Applications: Large reservoirs, hydropower dams, or coastal areas with mild water movement.

(3) Hybrid Floating PV System

Hybrid systems combine floating solar with other technologies such as hydropower, fisheries, or storage.

Advantages: Higher land-use efficiency and multiple revenue streams.

Examples: FPV on hydropower dams (sharing transmission lines), fish farming beneath solar arrays, or floating solar plus battery storage.

2. Application Scenarios

Reservoirs and Hydropower Dams

Floating solar on reservoirs and hydropower stations is one of the most promising applications. It reduces water evaporation, uses existing grid connections, and improves overall energy efficiency by complementing hydropower generation.

Industrial and Agricultural Ponds

FPV systems on irrigation ponds, water treatment ponds, or aquaculture farms can provide dual benefits—clean energy generation and reduced water temperature fluctuations, which can benefit fish farming.

Urban Water Bodies

Floating solar can be installed on lakes, quarry lakes, or even retention ponds near cities. These projects provide renewable electricity for local communities without competing for valuable land resources.

Coastal and Offshore Areas (Emerging)

Although still in early development, offshore floating solar holds huge potential. By combining with offshore wind farms, floating solar can share infrastructure and create hybrid renewable energy hubs.

3. Benefits of Floating Solar

Efficient Land Use: No need to occupy farmland or urban land.

Improved Efficiency: Water cooling effect increases solar module efficiency by 5–15%.

Environmental Impact: Reduces algae growth and evaporation on water bodies.

Scalability: Suitable for both small community projects and large-scale utility plants.

4. Conclusion

Floating solar is no longer just a niche technology; it is becoming a vital part of the global renewable energy mix. From reservoirs and dams to offshore waters, FPV opens new frontiers for solar deployment while addressing land constraints. With advancing technology and decreasing costs, floating solar will play a key role in achieving a sustainable, low-carbon future.

From 2021 to 2022, the epidemic continued to impact the photovoltaic supply chain, resulting in a high price level for photovoltaic modules due to insufficient silicon supply, and the installed demand was deferred until 2023. With the large-scale release of new capacity and output of silicon materials, prices at all links of the industrial chain have returned to normal levels. It is estimated that the global photovoltaic installation demand will significantly increase in 2023, with the new installed demand reaching 351 GW, an annual increase of 53.4%. However, attention still needs to be paid to various issues such as the slowdown in global economic growth and high inflation, which may lead to lower installed demand than expected.

In 2023, the demand for photovoltaic installation will be ranked from high to low in Asia Pacific, Europe, the Americas, and Middle East Africa. The new installed capacity demand in the Asia Pacific region in 2023 is estimated to be 202.5GW, with an annual increase of 55.4%. Among them, markets such as China, Malaysia, and the Philippines have seen rapid growth in installed capacity driven by policies, with the annual increase in installed capacity in these regions reaching over 40%; The installed growth in mature markets such as Japan, Australia, and South Korea tends to be stable.

In Europe, it is estimated that the photovoltaic installed capacity in 2023 will be about 68.6GW, with an annual increase of 39.7%. The main installed demand will come from Germany, the Netherlands, and Spain. Due to the persistently high electricity prices, various countries have provided policy support such as subsidies or tax rebates for photovoltaic products, and the price of photovoltaic modules has fallen, resulting in a growth in the installed capacity of photovoltaic products for European users in 2023. In addition, as the European Union eases the licensing and approval time for photovoltaic installation, and the price of photovoltaic modules decreases, it is expected that the number of ground power station projects in Europe will return to growth from 2023 to 2024.

In the Americas, it is estimated that the new photovoltaic installed capacity will increase by about 64.6GW in 2023, with an annual increase of 65.2%. The installed demand is highly concentrated in the United States, Brazil, Chile, and other places; Colombia and Canada will also usher in the peak period of grid connection in 2023. Previously, due to the impact of the United States UFLPA Act and the implementation of anti circumvention investigations on photovoltaic capacity in Southeast Asia, resulting in delays in the transportation of photovoltaic modules, the installation of ground power plants that are relatively sensitive to costs has slowed down, and this situation will be eased in 2023; Under the stimulus of the IRA Act, there are sufficient photovoltaic reserve projects in the United States, and the installed demand is expected to double. Brazil's distributed policy will continue to promote the vigorous development of distributed projects, while centralized projects are expected to see rapid growth again when the Brazilian government further opens up.

In the Middle East and Africa, the photovoltaic market has shown steady growth, with an estimated new installed capacity of 14.9GW, an annual increase of about 49.5%. The installed capacity increment in the Middle East and Africa region is highly dependent on bidding projects. Large photovoltaic ground power station projects dominate the market demand, with the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, and Israel as the main incremental regions. The region is rich in lighting resources. Currently, the capacity of bidding projects to be built or under construction has exceeded 9GW. In addition to favorable policies, there is huge development space. It is expected that bidding projects will continue to grow in the future.

As we all know,  Ballast Mounting for Flat roof usually customized for different panel tilt angeles.

Different areas, the sun condition will be different, so does the panel tilt angels, then it will be a big problem to arrange the  stock.

Nowadays, UISOLAR come out  a Ballast Mounting with the adjustable tilt angles.  10-35 degrees can be adjustable according you need. The clear scale will make you and your customer easy to get the correct tilt angles , to help the panel get the most sunshine.

And it will be easier to keep in stock.

Details show as below :

For  Solar Ground Mounting System, normally have three types of foundation can be chose.

• Concrete Foundation

The concrete foundation adopts the reinforced expanded foundation, the construction method is simple, the geological adaptability is strong, and the foundation embedding depth can be relatively shallow.

• Ground Screw Foundation

The construction speed is fast, there is no need for site leveling, no earthwork excavation, maximum protection of the vegetation in the field, and the site is easy to restore the original appearance, it is convenient to adjust the upper bracket, and the height of the bracket can be adjusted according to the terrain. The impact on the environment is small, less labor is required, and the spiral pile can be used again.

• Pile Foundation

Driving the steel pile into the soil with a pile driver does not need to dig the ground, which is more environmentally friendly; it is not subject to seasonal temperature and other restrictions; the construction is fast and convenient, the construction period is greatly shortened, and it is convenient for migration and recycling; the foundation is easy to adjust the height during the pile driving process.

Which basic method to use will depend on the conditions of the project.

As usually, Grounding PV modules is necessary and required  for the solar power ystem.

Are you always worried about your solar panels for  thunderstorm whether?

The UISOLAR Grounding parts include special washers ( diffenert washers for grounding clip, grounding lug and bounding jumper)  with sharp ridges on them that penetrate through the non-conductive coatings of the aluminum module frames and mounting racks. The mounts themselves are then grounded so the entire assembly is grounded.

Customized Grounding components (Both ground washers, groundling lug and Bounding jumper )  are avaiable here.

Brief introduction to UISOLAR Grounding System as below :

Grounding washer /clip

Ground lug/ Earthing lug

Bounding Jumper

The inclination angle of the photovoltaic power station is the angle between the surface of the photovoltaic module and the horizontal surface of the ground. When designing a power station, generally refer to the historical data of annual cumulative radiation at different inclination angles, and select the angle with the highest radiation as the best inclination angle design. Because the earth is always revolving around the sun, the point of direct sunlight is always reciprocating between the Earth's Tropic of Cancer within a revolution period. Therefore, the total amount of radiation received by the surface of the photovoltaic module is different under different inclination angles. We call the inclination angle that receives the largest total annual radiation as the optimal inclination angle.

In the process of actually selecting the best inclination angle, factors such as the geographical environment and natural environment of the project construction site should also be considered. For example, the influence of the inclination angle on the snow sliding; the influence of the wind pressure and snow pressure resistance of the components when the inclination angle changes; at the same time, the influence of these factors on the selection of photovoltaic support materials and the foundation counterweight and the change of the distance between the front and rear rows caused by too high an angle also need to be considered , increase land cost, etc.

To compare the impact of different inclination angles on power generation, a single variable comparison should be used. However, the inclination angles of components in the same power station are generally the same angle and orientation, and there are too many influencing factors when comparing power stations in different regions. So consider using PV-System design software to demonstrate it. The meteorological data of its software comes from two meteorological databases of NASA and Meteonorm. At the same time, through actual calculations, its calculation accuracy is up to 99.3%, which is referable.

Taking a power station in southern Xinjiang as an example, the actual installation inclination angle is 34°. However, when the design software is used to measure and compare the power generation at different inclination angles, it is concluded that under its geographical location, when the inclination angle is 37°, the radiation received by the surface of the module is the highest, and the power generation is also the highest. The actual installation angle power generation is 0.13% lower than the estimated best angle annual power generation. The specific data are as follows：

34°tilt angle, azimuth due south    37°tilt angle, azimuth due south

34° inclination angle power generation in the first year

The total annual radiation and power generation under different inclination angles are as follows:

From the above data analysis, we can draw the following conclusions:

(1) The optimum inclination angle is related to the local geographic latitude. Taking the equator as the reference point, when the geographic latitude gradually increases toward the earth's poles, the corresponding optimal tilt angles also gradually increase.

(2) When the inclination angle increases from the horizontal (0°) to the optimal inclination angle, the amount of radiation received by its surface increases correspondingly, and the amount of radiation received by the surface reaches the maximum when the inclination angle is reached; as the inclination angle continues to increase, its surface receives The amount of radiation received began to decrease again, and the corresponding power generation gradually decreased.

(3) If the inclination angle is within ±5° of the optimum inclination angle, the impact of radiation on power generation is relatively limited.

We are excited to highlight our successful participation in the 10^th Indonesia International Solar Power & PV Technology Exhibition 2025 from 23-25^th April, one of the region’s most influential renewable energy events. Our booth attracted a high volume of visitors, including industry experts, government representatives, and potential business partners, all keen to explore our latest solar technologies. The strong turnout demonstrated the growing demand for solar solutions in Indonesia, and we had productive discussions on market trends, regulatory developments, and project opportunities.

This exhibition provided us with deeper insights into Indonesia’s evolving solar sector, reinforcing our commitment to supporting the area’s renewable energy transition. We showcased our innovative PV solutions, which garnered significant interest and opened doors for future collaborations.

A big thank you to everyone who visited our booth. We look forward to strengthening partnerships and contributing to Indonesia’s sustainable energy future!