City-level photovoltaic deployment roadmap in China

In the context of expanding photovoltaic applications, optimizing the spatial distribution of photovoltaic systems at the city level presents a major challenge. However, existing studies have limitations in accounting for the constraints affecting photovoltaic deployment. This study developed a sophisticated framework combining geographic information system technology and multicriteria decision-making method for photovoltaic deployment assessment, incorporating affordability, techno-economic feasibility, development intensity, and infrastructure factors. It assessed photovoltaic deployment capacity in 297 Chinese cities, including both utility-scale photovoltaic and distributed-scale photovoltaic and revealed the spatial heterogeneity in photovoltaic generation supply-demand situation. Our findings indicate a clear spatial mismatch between the utility-scale photovoltaic generation potential and power demand, particularly in Hotan, and Jiuquan with intensive photovoltaic industries. Furthermore, 55 cities in China are unsuitable for further utility-scale photovoltaic development due to land limitations. Distributed-scale photovoltaic deployment capacity in the northwest cities like Hami and Ordos can be reduced to lower power absorption costs. By contrast, it is suggested to conduct large-scale distributed photovoltaic deployment in the megacities, super-large cities, and large cities with a deployment intensity larger than 10 GW. Our study clarifies an implementation roadmap for city-level capacity deployment of utility-scale and distributed-scale photovoltaic, focusing on photovoltaic resources effective allocation.