In the coming months, the MCS (Microgeneration Certification Scheme), the UK’s quality mark for small-scale renewable energy systems, will be evolving to ensure it is fit for the future and works for everyone.

Q: Why is MCS being redeveloped, and when will the new Scheme launch?

A: Our role is to create and maintain the standards that allow for the certification of low-carbon products, installers, and installations. A really important element of this is how we work with industry to develop the standards – through our technical Working Groups and network of industry contacts. Ultimately, our mission is to give everyone confidence in low-carbon energy, and we believe there is an opportunity to improve the Scheme to better deliver on this.

In line with how we have always approached changes, we ran a consultation in Summer 2023 to get feedback from all stakeholders. There was great engagement with this – especially from installers, who actually made up more than 50% of the respondents.

Since then, we have been working hard behind the scenes to make sure that the changes developed from the consultation results – which are significant – are effectively implemented, and that the key stakeholders in delivering the Scheme are in a position to hit the ground running. That is why we are aiming for a launch date of January 2025.

Q: How will the new MCS improve processes for installers?

A: We know that assessments within the current MCS are paperwork-heavy. One of the key changes we are implementing, with industry support based on the feedback from the consultation, is to move away from this by prioritising evidence of quality installations for customers – known as ‘delivered quality’.

Compliance assessments will change to focus on capturing the evidence that an installer’s quality processes and controls are delivering installations that work effectively, are technically sound, and are compliant with our Standards.

We are also changing the frequency of assessments. The new Scheme will be driven by a ‘Quality Risk Model’ that rewards installers who deliver great installations, and focuses resources on those who consistently fall short of the mark. The model will consider a range of factors that we know result in poor quality – such as complexity of operations and the involvement of multiple subcontractors – meaning that the frequency of assessments carried out by an installer’s chosen Certification Body will be determined by their own quality of work.

In fact, this is just one of the ways in which we are going to be working more closely with Certification Bodies to make assessments fairer. We hear of inconsistencies between individual assessors, which reduces clarity on what is required and frustrates installers. To combat this, MCS will be prescribing the content of each assessment appropriate to the technology installed, ensuring the process is as straightforward as possible to understand.

As part of this, a named Technical Supervisor will be required for every installation (replacing the current requirement for a Nominated Technical Person), who will be the individual(s) in a business who are qualified to ‘sign off’ on the quality and compliance of a completed installation.

Q: We know that consumer confidence is crucial for increasing uptake of renewables, so what will change from a consumer perspective with the new MCS?

A: In the vast majority of cases, the consumer is happy with their renewable installation, and the installer has done a great job. However, in the rare situation where something has gone wrong, and the customer needs to escalate a complaint, the current system is confusing, difficult to navigate, and risks undermining all the great work that our industry is doing.

We are therefore fundamentally changing the way complaints are handled by becoming a single point of contact for consumers. Crucially, a new, more direct relationship between MCS and installers will mean that if one of their customers has made a complaint, MCS will ensure the installer understands its nature and, where appropriate, provide support on how best to resolve it.

Of course, this may not always be possible, and in these circumstances clarity on routes to a single, regulated Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) provider will be outlined. But the new MCS will provide much greater transparency across the sector, and this should be viewed as a positive for everyone involved.

Q: What do installers need to do now to prepare for the new Scheme?

A: For now, installers should continue to meet the current Scheme requirements until their Certification Body gives them the option to transfer to the new MCS. We are currently working with the Certification Bodies to ensure they are ready, and, between now and the time of implementation, we will be publishing the new Scheme documentation to provide further guidance on how it applies to installers.

Once members have been transferred over to the new Scheme, membership of a Consumer Code will no longer be a mandatory requirement. Obligations to safeguard consumers will be embedded directly into the revamped Scheme requirements.

For more information on what the new Scheme means for installers, visit www.mcscertified.com/mcs-scheme-redevelopment