Global PV plant developers are adopting high‑strength steel sheet tubing for single‑axis solar tracker support structures, replacing traditional hot‑rolled rail systems. The steel sheet tubing, formed from 3 mm zinc‑coated coils, delivers improved buckling resistance and uniform wall thickness-key for long‑span tracker arrays in windy regions.
In Chile's Atacama Desert, a 200 MW solar farm employed steel sheet rolled tube supports, reducing structural steel use by 12% while maintaining deflection limits under gusts exceeding 20 m/s. The thin, precision‑formed steel sheet tubes offered consistent section properties and simplified welding on automated assembly lines.
European manufacturers launched a next‑gen tracker mast using laser‑welded steel sheet tubing. The tubes integrate reinforcement ribs stamped directly from the steel sheet before rolling, increasing moment of inertia by 18% without adding weight-critical for long‑term deflection control over 15 m tracker spans.
In India, EPC contractors are piloting powder‑coated steel sheet tube supports with integrated grounding channels and cable management slots. The galvanized base layer protects the steel sheet core during handling, and the powder coat withstands UV exposure for over 25 years, meeting international solar durability standards.
Analysts project steel sheet tubing for tracker applications to grow at a 14% CAGR through 2030, driven by larger plant sizes and demand for cost‑efficient, high‑precision structural solutions in utility‑scale solar projects worldwide.
