With falling prices both the size and number of installations of single-phase and three-phase solar photovoltaics (PV) units is expected to continue to increase in distribution networks. The increase in solar PV units will have an impact on the power quality of the distribution network. There is a need to propose transparent methods that can be used to quantify the acceptable limit of solar PV penetration objectively, called the hosting capacity (HC). The fundamental methods for the quantification of hosting capacity include; deterministic, stochastic and time-series. Which of the latter method is the most appropriate for determining the hosting capacity? A comparison of the three methods based on the input data need, accuracy, uncertainties considered, time-related and models are done. Many academic and industrial studies have been published applying the hosting capacity method. Differences between the scientific and industrial application of the hosting capacity methods are presented in this paper. There is a need to expose the industrial application of solar PV hosting capacity methods.