Review of solar PV deployment trends, policy instruments, and growth projections in China, the United States, and India

The geographical spread of the PV deployment is skewed as most installations are concentrated in a few countries. A review of PV deployment trends, policy instruments, and growth projections is presented for China, the United States, and India, which together contribute around 53.6 % of global cumulative PV capacity as of 2022. The research framework categorizes policy instruments, examines deployment trends, and analyzes the growth potential of PV technology using a logistic growth model. Key milestones and policy developments are used to provide a comparative overview of policy instruments and examine deployment trends in the three countries. Logistic growth curves are developed for various upper-limit values drawn from the existing literature, and range analysis is conducted to interpret the growth projections. The growth curves indicate that China, the United States, and India have completed the early adoption phase of PV deployment and are now transitioning toward a period of rapid growth. A consistent pattern of change in capacity addition and LCOE of PV plants is observed across three countries. While the fundamental nature and function of policy instruments remain unchanged, significant diversity exists in their design and implementation across the three countries. The study offers valuable insights for policymakers, researchers, and stakeholders who are engaged in facilitating the transition of the solar PV industry from gigawatt (GW)-scale to terawatt (TW)-scale deployment.