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What is The Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS)?
The Microgeneration Certificate Scheme also known as the MCS is a quality assurance and certification that plays a crucial role in the installation of renewable technology across the UK. Its role is to certify the installation of renewable energy products to make sure the installation is performed to the highest of standard while also using there quality management system (QMS) to make sure companies are operating at a high standard.
In our blog we will give you an overview of what is involved in the MCS process and what they are aiming to achieve with their system.
The Origins of MCS
The MCS was established in 2008 by the UK government due to growing concerns about the climate change and need to move to renewable energy sources in the UK. The main goal of MCS is to ensure that all small-scale renewable energy systems meet a high standard of quality, making sure that business's and consumers can trust the installation and business practises are to an equally high standard.
MCS operate as a voluntary certification scheme for renewable energy systems but to be able to access government funding and subsidies its required that the installation company must be registered with MCS and certify the installation through the MCS.
Certification Process
The MCS certification process if a thorough procedure designed to access the installer as a business but also to make sure the installation is performed to a high standard there are two main types of MCS certification:
Installer Certification
This is granted to companies and installers who abide by the strict rules set out by the MCS meaning all installers must go through a strict registration process to be able to offer the customers the benefits of subsidies. Installers must demonstrate that they can install the renewable energy systems in a manner that ensure safety, durability and effiency. On site audits are often conducted to make sure companies keep up this high standard. MCS will also make sure the installer is on top of all the paperwork, customer dealing and complaints to ensure the customer is being dealt with in a professional manner.
Product Certification
Not only do the MCS check the standard of the insatllers but they also check the quality of the products used within in the industry. All products that are MCS registered must go through rigorous testing to ensure they meet high performance and safety benchmarks ensuring consumers that the product is of high standard. There is a list of all suitable products on the MCS website.
Technologies Covered by The MCS
The Microgeneration Certification Scheme covers a wide range of small-scale renewable energy systems these comprise of systems that generate less than 50kW of electricity or less than 45kW of heat. Here is a list of technologies that are covered by the MCS:
Solar Photovoltaic (PV) Systems
Solar Thermal Systems
Wind Turbines
Air Source Heat Pumps
Ground Source Heat Pumps
Biomass Boilers
Micro Combined Heat and Power (CHP) Systems
Hydroelectric Systems
MCS's Role in Promoting Renewable Energy
MCS play a crucial role in promoting renewable energy systems in the UK by providing a trusted and transparent certification process. This encourage consumers to make the leap in renewable energy by giving them the confidence in their chose installer. The schemes standard gives consumers peace of mind that the system they are having installed will perform to the highest standard and it will help deliver long term value.
The MCs also promote competition in manufactures as it establishes certain benchmark for each products making a clear way to determine which product is superior. This means that manufactures are always trying to improve their products making to better for the end consumer.
The Impact of MCS on The Renewable Energy Market
The MCS has had a significant impact on the renewable energy market over the years the most commonly known impact is with solar panels. Solar panel installs before the MCS hand no standardisation meaning the consumers where get systems that where badly installed, low quality products and receiving calculations of the systems performance in many different ways which often left the consumer feeling confused about the benefits. The MCS standardised the market by making sure installs where performance at high standard, they also started vetting products that consumers could use but more importantly they standardised the way all companies had to calculate the savings making sure customers where given factual information.
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