TÜV Rheinland (China) Ltd was announced as a new product certification body of the Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS) on 7 August 2023, becoming the first MCS product certification body based outside Europe1. The company is a subsidiary of TÜV Rheinland Group, described as an international independent third-party testing, inspection and certification organisation1.
The initial scope covered solar panel products, with MCS stating that the partnership would "initially focus on the certification of solar panel products, with a strategic vision to expand into heat pump technology in the future"1. At the time of the announcement, MCS certification was held by 71 manufacturers across their ranges of solar PV products1. TÜV Rheinland assesses products in its testing laboratories against MCS quality standards and awards use of the MCS certification mark1.
MCS later confirmed that TÜV Rheinland (China) "first achieved MCS accreditation in August 2023 for solar PV products"2. In a November 2025 update, MCS reported that the body had expanded its accreditation to cover additional technologies: heat pumps, BIPV (building-integrated solar PV), solar heating and solar mounting systems2. MCS said the expansion "further increases the availability of small-scale renewable products in the UK"2.
Ian Rippin, CEO of MCS, said at the 2023 announcement:
"Accredited product certification bodies play a critical role in strengthening the UK supply chain for renewable technologies and will help broaden choice for installers and consumers alike."
Two TÜV Rheinland technical experts, Dr. Christos Monokroussos and Li Weichun, joined the MCS Solar PV and Battery Storage Working Groups responsible for formulating standards1.
MCS also published figures covering 2023 as a whole. More than 183,000 certified solar PV installations were registered across the UK in 2023, exceeding the 138,000 total in 2022 by one third3. MCS had fewer than 2,000 solar PV contractors at the end of 2022 and over 3,300 by the time of that review3. In October 2023, MCS certified its 4,000th contractor, with more than 1,800 new contractors certified during the year, a 70% growth in its contractor base since the end of 20223.
Why it matters for households
MCS certification is the route by which solar panels, and now other small-scale renewable products, are recognised under the scheme that UK installers and consumers rely on when assessing product quality1. A certification body based outside Europe widens the pool of manufacturers able to certify products for the UK market, which MCS links to greater choice for installers and, ultimately, consumers2. For a household considering solar PV, the practical effect is on the range of certified products available rather than on any single installation. MCS describes its role as giving people confidence in home-grown energy2. The scheme's regulation and policy context includes government plans cited by MCS to increase solar capacity by nearly fivefold to 70 GW by 20351.
What happens next
MCS said in November 2025 that TÜV Rheinland (China) now offers product certification for heat pumps, BIPV, solar heating and solar mounting systems, in addition to solar PV2. No further expansion of scope has been reported.