Updated: 29 September 2026 · For EPC contractors, solar distributors, installers and project procurement teams
This late-September 2026 solar mounting systems market update reviews new developments in agrivoltaics, multi-site rooftops, utility-scale procurement and solar-plus-storage planning. The focus is on what these changes mean for PV racking buyers, EPC contractors, distributors and project developers.
Solar mounting systems are increasingly being procured as part of a wider project plan, not as an isolated hardware order. Between 15 and 29 September 2026, new announcements from Italy, Romania, India, Japan, Egypt and European developers showed how agrivoltaic land use, multi-site rooftops, portfolio contracts and battery integration are changing the way EPC teams evaluate PV racking.
The shift is important for international buyers. A ground-mounted project that shares land with farming requires a different layout from a conventional solar park. A rooftop programme covering dozens of buildings requires standard components, but still needs a survey of every roof. A solar-plus-storage project has to coordinate structures, access roads, battery areas, cable routes and electrical equipment before the final bill of materials is released.
Procurement takeaway: the value of a PV racking supplier is increasingly measured by early engineering response, documentation, delivery planning and the ability to adapt a repeatable product platform to different sites.
Late-September 2026 Solar Market Signals
The following developments were published or advanced during the 15–29 September research window. Their project statuses are kept separate so that planned capacity is not confused with operating capacity.
- Italy: Nadara announced completion of the 227 MW Big Fish agrivoltaic project in Sicily. The approximately 400-hectare site continues to include active agricultural use, making land access and elevated structure planning central to the project story.
- Romania: Nofar Energy placed the 169.4 MWp Iepurești and 146 MWp Ghimpați solar parks into commercial operation. Planned 280 MW / 860 MWh storage remains a future development and should not be described as operating.
- Europe: Fortis Energy signed an agreement with Schletter covering more than 300 MW of European solar-plus-storage projects planned for 2027. The announcement specifically refers to site-specific structural design, delivery scheduling and installation planning.
- India: SECI published a 4,083.75 kW rooftop PV tender under RESCO mode for Central Agricultural University institutions. This remains an open tender, not an awarded or commissioned programme.
- Japan: A multi-party programme targets more than 10 MW of solar on unused logistics-building roofs by March 2028. The programme is at MoU and planning stage.
- Egypt: EBRD disclosed an exploratory financing review for the Energy Valley project, comprising 1.95 GW of solar PV, 3,935 MWh of BESS and associated transmission infrastructure. Financing is pending final review.
Agrivoltaics Make Structure Part of Agricultural Planning
The Big Fish project in Sicily provides the clearest late-September example of agrivoltaics shaping structural procurement. Nadara’s announcement identifies a 227 MW project across an approximately 400-hectare site, with agricultural activity remaining part of the land-use model. The public project information also describes modules positioned up to around three metres high.
For EPC contractors, the practical difference is that the mounting structure must support two operating environments at once. The layout has to preserve access for agricultural machinery, maintain workable routes between rows and avoid interfering with drainage or irrigation arrangements. The foundation footprint, construction sequence and maintenance access all need to be reviewed alongside the farm operating plan.
The exact Big Fish mounting supplier, steel grade, pile type and foundation depth were not disclosed in the sources reviewed. Those details should not be invented. The broader procurement lesson is still clear: elevated agrivoltaic structures require project-specific calculations and a design process that includes the land user, civil engineer and solar EPC from an early stage.
This is also why agrivoltaic mounting systems should not be treated as ordinary ground racks with taller posts. Higher clearance, machinery movement, shading patterns, soil protection and local permitting can change the structure, row spacing and installation method.
Portfolio Agreements Change How PV Racking Is Procured
Fortis Energy’s agreement with Schletter is directly relevant to the mounting industry because it covers more than 300 MW of solar-plus-storage projects scheduled for 2027. The announcement refers to site-specific structural design, delivery scheduling and installation planning across the portfolio.
This kind of arrangement can help a developer coordinate a common product platform across several sites without pretending that every site has the same loads or foundation conditions. Rail profiles, clamps, packaging rules and documentation can be standardized where appropriate, while the engineering calculation still reflects each project’s wind, snow, terrain and geotechnical information.
For distributors and utility-scale EPCs, the implication is timing. A supplier may need to join the project conversation before financial close or before construction begins, so that material planning, production slots, factory inspections and container loading match the developer’s construction sequence. The Fortis–Schletter announcement does not indicate any involvement by Ziyuan Solar; it is used here only as evidence of a broader procurement trend.
Multi-Site Rooftops Need Standardization With Local Checks
SECI’s 4,083.75 kW rooftop tender for Central Agricultural University institutions illustrates the challenge of distributed procurement. Multiple buildings can be covered by one programme, but the roofs may differ in age, profile, structural reserve, waterproofing condition and access arrangement.
Japan’s planned logistics-rooftop programme points to a similar issue at a larger commercial scale. Unused warehouse roofs can offer significant space for PV, but a multi-site rollout requires a repeatable survey method, roof-specific attachment decisions, consistent component labeling and installation instructions that local crews can follow without ambiguity.
For a solar roof mounting systems quotation, buyers should provide roof drawings, roof profile information, purlin spacing or structural data, module dimensions, maintenance clearances and any waterproofing restrictions. Standardized kits can reduce procurement complexity, but they should not replace a roof-by-roof engineering check.
The same principle applies to metal roof mounting systems. Standing-seam clamps, trapezoidal brackets, mini rails and direct-fix components must match the actual roof interface. A lower unit price is not useful if the selected attachment creates waterproofing or warranty problems.
Solar-Plus-Storage Connects Racking With Wider BOS Planning
Romania’s 315.4 MWp of operating solar capacity and the planned 280 MW / 860 MWh battery systems show how a PV project can develop in phases. The solar parks are operating, while the storage element remains under development. That distinction matters when EPC teams plan the final site layout and procurement schedule.
In Egypt, EBRD’s Energy Valley project is still listed as exploratory and pending final review. The disclosed concept combines 1.95 GW of solar PV, 3,935 MWh of BESS and transmission infrastructure across several locations. It is a large potential future project, not a completed installation.
For solar-plus-storage balance-of-system planning, the mounting layout may need to leave room for battery areas, inverters, transformers, access roads, cable routes, drainage and emergency access. The exact separation distances and fire requirements depend on the applicable codes and project authority. Suppliers should therefore coordinate with the EPC’s civil, electrical and fire-safety teams instead of applying an assumed universal layout.
What EPC Contractors and Distributors Should Check Before Buying Solar Mounting Systems
Before comparing solar mounting systems, buyers should prepare a complete project data package:
Location, coordinates, wind and snow loads, seismic requirements, soil conditions, terrain and corrosion environment.
Roof profile, purlin spacing, structural capacity, waterproofing limits, geotechnical information and foundation preferences.
Module dimensions, weight, frame thickness, orientation, row spacing, tilt, maintenance access and battery or inverter locations.
BOM, drawings, installation manual, quality checks, packing labels, Incoterms, lead time and container-loading requirements.
The more complete the first enquiry, the less likely the quotation is to change after engineering review. Buyers should compare the total delivered scope rather than only the price of aluminum or steel.
Ziyuan Solar Perspective
Xiamen Ziyuan Energy Technology Co., Ltd. is a Xiamen-based B2B solar mounting systems manufacturer and exporter serving EPC contractors, distributors, installers and project buyers in Europe, the Middle East, Asia and Southeast Asia.
The product range includes ground mounting systems, solar roof mounting systems, metal-roof components, solar carport structures, rails, clamps, hooks, brackets and solar mounting accessories. For international buyers, project-based quotations are more useful when they are built around the location, roof or soil information, module data, design loads and delivery requirements.
For an efficient RFQ, EPC teams can provide the project location, roof or geotechnical information, module data sheet, preliminary layout, design standards, expected quantity and delivery schedule. OEM and ODM discussions can then be based on the target product, packaging and market requirements.
Send your site information, module layout and loading requirements to Ziyuan Solar for roof, ground or carport mounting selection support.
Contact Ziyuan SolarConclusion
Late-September 2026 market signals show solar mounting systems moving toward more integrated procurement. Agrivoltaic projects connect structure design with agricultural access. Portfolio agreements connect racking with production and delivery scheduling. Multi-site rooftops require standardization with local checks, while solar-plus-storage projects connect PV structures with wider civil and electrical planning.
For EPC contractors and distributors, the practical response is to involve the mounting supplier early, provide accurate site information and evaluate the complete delivered package. Site-specific engineering, clear documentation and disciplined export coordination can reduce revisions and help keep complex solar projects moving.
FAQ
Agrivoltaic projects may require elevated structures, agricultural machinery access, careful row spacing, limited foundation disturbance and coordination with drainage, irrigation and crop-management plans. The exact height and structure must be determined by the project design and local requirements.
Grid access affects whether a project can move from a proposal toward a bankable design. Developers often need clearer grid, land and financing conditions before committing to large-volume structural procurement.
EPCs should coordinate PV structures with battery areas, inverters, transformers, access roads, cable routes, drainage, maintenance space and applicable fire-safety requirements. The final layout must follow the project authority’s codes and engineering review.
Review each roof’s structural capacity, profile, purlin spacing, waterproofing condition, access routes and maintenance requirements. Standardized components can support efficient procurement, but each building still needs a site-specific check.
Provide the project location, roof or soil data, module dimensions and weight, layout, design loads, corrosion environment, quantity, documentation requirements and delivery schedule.
