Table 1: UK installations of microgeneration electricity schemes by technology, 2020 and 2021
| Technology | 2020 | 2021 |
|---|---|---|
| Fossil Fuel (Micro-CHP) | 120 500 | 65 200 |
| Biomass | 450 200 | 385 100 |
| Solar PV (Solar Panels) | 54 100 | 95 300 |
| Hybrid Solar-Storage† | 178 500 | 279 200 |
| Total | 803 300 | 824 800 |
†Hybrid Solar-Storage systems use high-grade polysilicon solar cells and lithium batteries.
Figure 1: UK demand for high-grade polysilicon, tonnes, 2015 to 2030
| Year | Semiconductor chips | Optical glass | Fiber optics | Telecommunications | Solar PV Panels | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | 80 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 80 |
| 2020 | 120 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 40 | 160 |
| 2025 (estimate) | 160 | 40 | 40 | 40 | 360 | 640 |
| 2030 (estimate) | 200 | 80 | 80 | 80 | 1160 | 1600 |
Explain how the data in Extract A (Table 1 and Figure 1) show that developments in the microgeneration installations market are the main reason for the changing demand for high-grade polysilicon in the UK.
