A six week consultation has been launched as the Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS) proposed to reform its scheme which sets the standards for the installation of low-carbon installations used to produce electricity and heat from renewable sources.
MCS has proposed a new scheme which is to provide ‘consistently high-quality’ outcomes for consumers and improve accessibility for contractors, according to a statement.
The statement said that MCS will play a ‘key role’ in ensuring consumers have the confidence to invest in small-scale renewable technology for their homes and businesses. These investments must meet customer needs, deliver on promised system performance and come with the reassurance that if something were to go wrong, there is a clear route to remediation.
This consultation details proposals to make changes to MCS in response to an assessment of current scheme operations and research conducted over the last 18 months. The development of these proposals has benefited from input from a range of stakeholders, including contractors, trade associations, certification bodies and government departments, the statement said.
The proposals outlined build on the work of the last few years to simplify the standards, ensuring that MCS technical requirements are easier to understand and comply with. The company has said that the proposals aim to provide for a more responsive industry, focused on high quality customer outcomes, underpinned by an outcome-based assessment and information gathering process.
Ian Rippin, CEO of MCS, said: “This is the next chapter in the development of MCS and the crucial role that it plays in the adoption of small-scale renewable technology. We wish to deploy a new scheme, focused on establishing the evidence of quality as delivered to customers and less on back-office systems and paperwork.
“In addition, we plan for a step change in customer service, support and protections. This will be elevated and delivered through a new ‘Customer Duty’ with obligations to safeguard customers embedded directly into the scheme itself.
“The proposed changes make good on a promise that the new leadership of MCS has made to improve the effectiveness of the scheme and give consumers the confidence that they need to embrace home-grown energy. It will also enable the enormous potential for growth for this market.
“We really have listened to the feedback and understand the challenges and barriers that contractors and consumers can face. We are determined that MCS is an enabler – responsible for driving quality up and ensuring consumers are satisfied, to assert ourselves as the recognisable quality mark for the sector.”
MCS invited comments on the proposed changes with a deadline of 9.00am on Monday 17 July 2023.