When we talk about the solar boom — sky-high module shipments, big “gigawatt” announcements, new factories — we often focus on the cells and wafers, the silicon, the inverter, the panels themselves. But lurking behind that headline picture is a smaller set of components: the fasteners, nuts, bolts, rails, mounts, clamps, channel nuts, washers and other Balance-of-System (BoS) hardware that hold everything together. These items may seem mundane, but they’re increasingly strategic.
A recent review for rooftop solar BoS highlights how structural mounting systems (mounts, rails, wire management, j-boxes) play a major role in domestic-content calculations and project qualification.
In South Africa, the national regulator’s review of 82 tariff/HS codes for solar, wind and battery inputs specifically mentions “smallest nuts and bolts that hold installations together.”
Industry commentary emphasises that as PV systems face more extreme weather, “the nuts and bolts of PV resilience” are critical.
In short: the hardware may be small, but its impact—on cost, local manufacture, supply-chain resilience, installation speed and durability—is getting magnified.
With solar becoming a strategic national industry in many countries, governments are using content rules, incentives and tariffs to drive local manufacture of even the “small” components. For example:
In South Africa, input components (including fasteners) are under review for increased import tariffs in order to protect local manufacturing.
In the U.S., under the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) and associated guidance, BoS hardware (including structural steel, nuts/bolts) may qualify for domestic‐content bonus credits.
Thus, hardware suppliers (even for “just nuts and bolts”) are becoming part of the solar policy conversation.
As the solar industry scales rapidly, every link in the value chain becomes potential bottleneck. Hardware like mounting rails, fasteners, channel nuts, grounding washers may not attract much glitz—but they matter for:
Installation speed: pre-assembled clamps reduce labour and inventory on site.
Mechanical robustness: with more extreme weather events, the structural integrity (bolts, mounts, frames) becomes a litmus test for system longevity.
Traceability and local sourcing: modules may be “made in X” but if the frames/fasteners are imported, content rules or cost exposure may bite.
As module costs have fallen dramatically, margins are under pressure and component cost shifts matter:
A Reddit post (while informal) pointed out that aluminium frames were becoming a bigger share of total panel cost—implying that seemingly small items (frames, hardware) are more important than they used to be.
The industry push for “ultra-high-power” modules (700 W+) is driving changes in module dimensions, mounting hole spacing and hence the associated hardware.
Hardware suppliers are increasingly in play as countries try to build out their local renewable manufacturing ecosystems. Initiatives for solar module manufacturing are expanding, and the BoS hardware side is a growth opportunity. For example:
In Australia, low-carbon aluminium extrusions are being deployed for solar framing systems.
Spain’s recent €210 million funding for solar PV manufacturing included upstream manufacturing projects, which inevitably include hardware and mounting components.
The move toward 700 W+ modules is not just about power: it means larger format modules, revised hole positions for mounting rails and hardware. One standardisation effort: hole distance of 790 mm added to spec.
For hardware suppliers: this means new designs, new inventory, and possibly obsoleting older nuts/bolts configurations. Project developers and installation firms will prefer hardware compatible with the new standards.
As countries review import codes for “nuts, bolts, structural steel, mounting hardware,” hardware suppliers may face higher import duties or may need to localise to maintain competitive pricing. Watch for tariff reviews (e.g., South Africa) or regional content incentives.
From a procurement perspective: “just sourcing cheap import bolts” might expose a project to cost risk or compliance issues.
Installation time still contributes significantly to project cost. Hardware designed for speed (pre-assembled clamps, integrated nuts/bolts) offers value. For example, one company introduced a pre-assembled clamp with integrated nut/bolt for PV mounting.
Hardware suppliers should target ease of use, installation savings, corrosion resistance (especially for rooftop/harsh environments) and modularity.
As solar installations spread to harsher climates (high wind, hail storms, flooding zones), the small structural elements—nuts, bolts, washers, mounts—are part of the durability story. The “nuts and bolts of PV resilience” are increasingly under attention.
Hence materials (stainless steel vs plain), coating/finishing, corrosion resistance, and longevity warranties may differentiate hardware providers.
Given the localisation push for module manufacturing, hardware suppliers have an opportunity to enter adjacent markets: domestic module makers want local frame and mounting hardware to meet content rules. Hardware companies that align with module OEMs or integrate into their BoM (bill-of-materials) stand to benefit.
