MCS (Microgeneration Certification Scheme) has reported the outcome of a six-week consultation on proposals to redevelop the scheme, which ran from 5 June until 17 July 20231. The organisation said it received 106 official responses and, in addition, 187 informal responses commenting on proposals or responding to surveys1. Over 50% of the respondents were installers of renewable energy and heating technologies1.
The consultation sought views from contractors, consumers, manufacturers and independent experts on how MCS should be shaped in future1. MCS said it had engaged policy makers and industry experts in readiness for the consultation, including those active in the MCS standards community1. Responses also came from several large organisations, including the CMA (Competition and Markets Authority), Ofgem, Citizen's Advice, industry trade bodies, and the certification bodies and consumer codes that MCS works with1.
MCS chief executive Ian Rippin said the proposals represented the next step in the development of MCS and the small-scale renewables industry1.
"The consultation was critical to us because it is vitally important that our stakeholders have the opportunity to shape the industry and provide input into how it is managed. We were pleased by the number of responses, and it was particularly encouraging that we received such a high level of engagement from the installer community."
MCS said it will collate and consider feedback before publishing a summary of responses in September1. Finalised proposals to redevelop the scheme will follow, with the redevelopment planned to come into effect in the second quarter of 20241. The consultation document itself has not been reported in the material available, and the specific proposals under consideration have not been detailed.
Why it matters for households
MCS certification underpins access to government-backed incentives for low-carbon heating and renewable generation, and it is the route by which installers demonstrate competence to households. The scheme's standards therefore shape what a household can expect from an installation, and which installers can carry out eligible work. A redevelopment of the scheme, planned to take effect in the second quarter of 2024, could change the requirements installers must meet and the assurance householders receive. The high proportion of installer respondents, over half of all responses1, indicates that the trades most affected by any change engaged directly with the process. For households considering measures such as heat pumps or solar, the practical effect depends on the finalised proposals, which have not yet been published. The role of installers in household energy independence is set out in our guide to installers, retailers and household energy independence, and the wider policy context sits in the regulation and policy hub. Households affected by earlier scheme closures can find background in our page on Green Homes Grant installers.
What happens next
MCS will publish a summary of responses in September 20231. Finalised proposals to redevelop the scheme will follow, with the redevelopment planned to come into effect in the second quarter of 20241. No further dates have been reported.
Sources1 cited
- MCS consultation receives huge cross-industry response - MCS, mcscertified.com