MCS, the standards organisation for small-scale domestic renewable energy and heating across the UK, announced on 19 June 2023 that it has welcomed Simply Certification as its newest contractor certification body (CB) for the installation of small-scale renewables1. Simply Certification is the second CB appointed by MCS since 2022, and now offers MCS certification alongside APHC, NICEIC, HETAS, OFTEC, NAPIT and the IAA1.
Simply Certification became UKAS (UK Accreditation Service) accredited in April to assess contractors to MCS standards1. Its client base of over 200 construction organisations, and new clients it attracts, can now gain MCS certification to install low-carbon technologies1. It is licensed under MCS to deliver assessments for air source heat pumps (ASHP), ground and water source heat pumps (G/WSHP), solar PV and solar heating technologies1.
Ian Rippin, CEO of MCS, said:
Rippin added that Simply Certification joins MCS "at an exciting and pivotal time in MCS's history as we launch our Scheme Redevelopment Consultation", which is inviting views on proposals to transform the way the scheme operates1. Alexandra Gates, Managing Director at Simply Certification, said the company has put in place an MCS assessor infrastructure with "a wide-reaching base of assessors stretching from Scotland down to the Isle of Wight"1. Richard Wiffen, Scheme Manager at Simply Certification, said the company's focus is within the built environment, delivering a range of ISO standards as well as PAS 2030 and now MCS Certification1.
| Certification body | Listed by MCS |
|---|---|
| APHC | Yes |
| NICEIC | Yes |
| HETAS | Yes |
| OFTEC | Yes |
| NAPIT | Yes |
| IAA | Yes |
| Simply Certification | Newly appointed |
Why it matters for households
MCS certification is the route by which installers of small-scale renewables are assessed against recognised standards, and it is the certification that sits behind MCS: The Microgeneration Certification Scheme Explained. For a household considering a heat pump or solar installation, the practical effect of a new certification body is a wider pool of contractors able to hold MCS certification, and more choice of body through which an installer can be assessed. The announcement does not change the standards themselves, and no change to the technical requirements for installations is reported.
The appointment sits alongside the Scheme Redevelopment Consultation, which MCS says invites views on proposals to transform how the scheme operates1. What those proposals contain, and how they might affect households, has not been reported in this announcement. Households weighing certification routes may also encounter MCS vs Flexi-Orb certification for home renewables, and those checking an electrician's registration can read NICEIC Registration: Approved Contractor, Domestic Installer and What It Covers. Further context on installer and retailer arrangements is held in the installers-retailers hub and the regulation-policy hub.
What happens next
No date has been given for the outcome of the Scheme Redevelopment Consultation, and no further appointments of certification bodies have been announced1.
Sources1 cited
- Simply Certification becomes the newest MCS certification body - MCS, mcscertified.com