1. Steel for the photovoltaic industry****Main Uses**:- **Mounting system**: Fixed/tracking brackets supporting photovoltaic modules (ground power stations, rooftop distribution).- Bezel: Protects the edges of PV modules (some are replaced by aluminium alloys, but steel frames are still used in low-cost scenarios).- **Infrastructure**: power station foundations, pile foundations, etc.**Steel type and requirements**:- **Hot-dip galvanised steel (HC340~550)**: strong corrosion resistance, used for brackets and pile foundations, the thickness of the zinc layer needs to be ≥60μm (higher in coastal areas).- **High Strength Steel (Q355B/Q420B)**: Reduces weight while maintaining load-bearing capacity, and is used to track the bracket.- Stainless steel (304/316): for use in highly corrosive environments (e.g. fishery-PV projects).**Trend**:- **Lightweight design**: The use of high-strength steel (such as 700MPa grade) to reduce the amount of material.- **Weathering steel instead of galvanised steel**: paint-free, long life (e.g. S450AW).

2. Steel for wind power generation****Main Uses**:- **Tower**: Supporting the main body of the wind turbine, accounting for more than 70% of the steel consumption of wind power.- Foundation Rings/Anchors: The foundation components that hold the tower.- **Nacelle/rotor components**: bearings, gearboxes, etc. (some of forged steel).**Steel type and requirements**:- **Tower Steel Plate (Q355D/Q420E)**: Low-alloy high-strength steel requiring low-temperature impact toughness of -40°C.- **Extra-thick plate (50~100mm)**: used for large megawatt wind turbine tower (8MW requires more than 80mm steel plate).- **Prestressed anchor bolt (42CrMoA)**: high-strength alloy steel, tensile strength ≥ 1040MPa.**Trend**:- **Growing demand for offshore wind: Higher corrosion-resistant steels (e.g., S355G10 N) and the use of duplex stainless steel (2205) key components.- **Super large wind turbine tower**: 10MW wind turbine promotes the development of 120mm extra-thick plates.

3. Steel for new energy vehicles****Main Uses**:- Body Structure: High-strength steel (HSS) is used for safety components such as crash beams and A/B pillars.- **Battery Housing**: To protect the battery cell, it needs to be lightweight and high-strength.- **Silicon steel for motors**: Non-oriented silicon steel (e.g. 35W300) is used to drive the motor core.**Steel type and requirements**:- **Ultra-high strength steel (UHSS, 1000~1500MPa)**: Hot stamping steel (22MnB5) is used in the body collision area.- Duplex (DP590/780): Balanced strength and formability for chassis.- **Non-oriented silicon steel**: low iron loss (≤3.0W/kg@50Hz), high magnetic inductance (≥1.7T).**Trend**:- **Substitution of steel by integrated die-casting**: Some structural parts are switched to aluminium alloy, but steel still dominates the safety parts.- **Silicon steel performance upgrade**: Thin specification (0.25~0.30mm) silicon steel improves motor efficiency.---### **4. Common Challenges and Opportunities**- **Corrosion resistance requirements**: Photovoltaic brackets and offshore wind power require long-term anti-corrosion technology (such as aluminium-magnesium-zinc plating).- **Material Competition**: Aluminium alloy/composite extrusion part of the steel market (e.g. photovoltaic frames, battery packs).- **Green steel**: Hydrogen metallurgical processes (e.g., HYBRIT) produce low-carbon steel, which meets the ESG needs of the new energy industry.