In photovoltaic power station projects in the Middle East and North Africa, the corrosion of the supports is not the biggest problem; the subsidence of the foundation is. 
In desert areas, the soil layer is loose and is constantly eroded by sandstorms. The foundation helical piles or cement piles may experience uneven subsidence within a few years. 
Customers have reported such situations: for the same row of components, both ends are flat, but the middle part sinks by 10-15 millimeters, causing additional bending stress on the support components. At first glance, the support seems fine, but over a long period of operation, the connection bolts and the crossbeam areas are more prone to loosening. 
This is why desert power stations place greater emphasis on the stiffness of the formed support section rather than just the load-bearing capacity. With sufficient stiffness, even a slight subsidence of the foundation can maintain the integrity of the structure and reduce the maintenance costs in the long run.