electrical industry market research news,electricaldigest.co.uk
In comparison to other microgeneration technologies, solar thermal heating is by far the most popular with over 140,000 unit installations in total to date in the UK, having been on the market for over 30 years.

It is estimated that an average system will reduce CO2 by up to 0.75 tonnes depending on the fuel it is replacing.

Photovoltaics (PV) is also considered to be a market with significant potential because there are very few planning issues and, if costs were reduced, almost 4% of UK electricity could be supplied using this technology – in addition carbon emissions could be reduced by 3%. However, prior to Photovoltaics becoming a commercially viable product, significant government support and incentives will be required, combined with major cost reductions to improve investment paybacks.

Market estimates for solar thermal and PV are around 160,000 cumulative installations by 2009, with solar thermal dominant as illustrated in the chart, right. Our estimates indicate that in 2009 there were annual sales of around 6,000 - 7,000 photovoltaic units and around 24,000 solar thermal units into residential, commercial and industrial applications. Solar thermal is dominant, reflecting lower costs and wider usage in domestic properties, while PV is more expensive to install.

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