Driving forces of solar energy technology innovation and evolution

This paper aims to provide an overview of the innovation and evolution of global solar energy technology (SET) and further analyze the driving forces. It addresses the evolution from a longitudinal perspective throughout more than 150 years, and discusses the multiple and interactive driving forces in the process of SET innovation. Our study encompasses three theories, including demand-driven theory, science advancement and technology catch-up theory. We retrieve patent data from PatSnap, a global patent platform, and obtain 313,530 hits in total worldwide, published from 1867 to 2018. Through employing the functions of cell diagram analysis and geographic territory mapping embedded in PatSnap platform, we conduct a relatively comprehensive analysis of SET evolution. Results disclose that the evolutionary trajectory analysis of SET reveals different characteristics in different stages, which involves spatial, main companies, IPCs and hot topics evolution, etc.. Multiple interactive driving forces play a significant role in various development phases. Finally, we give the research contributions and put forward related policy implications.