Ofgem approved an application on 26 September 2023 for UKSOL monocrystalline solar PV panels with built-in Tigo optimisers to be delivered as ECO4 innovation measure 022, carrying a substantial innovation measure uplift of 45% and EDF Energy as the awarded supplier uplift1. The approval is recorded in Ofgem's published list of approved innovation measures, which sets out the date each application was approved and whether the measure carries a standard or substantial uplift1.
Under ECO4, Ofgem is required to publish a description of each approved innovation measure, the date of approval, and whether it is standard or substantial1. The list covers measures approved under both ECO3 and ECO4, and records key characteristics, additional requirements and the products that can be delivered under each measure1. Where a product already deliverable as a standard innovation measure is later approved for substantial status, Ofgem creates a new innovation measure number and description for that product; other products previously listed under the standard measure remain there unless they are shown to fall within the new description1.
The 45% uplift sits above the standard innovation measure uplift of 25% recorded for older entries on the same list, such as the external wall insulation, under floor insulation and smart thermostat measures approved between 2019 and 20201. Ofgem states that suppliers can apply for products approved as standard innovation measures to be considered for substantial status, including ECO4 measures where additional evidence has been collected to demonstrate a substantial improvement, following evaluation and recommendation from the Technical Advisory Panel1.
All innovation measures must be installed in accordance with PAS 2030:2019 or MCS standards and PAS 2035:2019, unless approved as certified by an organisation accredited to ISO/IEC 17065:20121. They must also be lodged with TrustMark, or an equivalent body, and delivered by TrustMark registered businesses, and installed in line with Building Regulations and any relevant Agrément certificate listed for the measure1. Ofgem notes that approval of an innovation measure does not confirm that installation methods and designs are fully compliant with the latest PAS requirements, and that the Retrofit Coordinator and installers remain responsible for satisfying themselves that a measure suits a given property before installation1.
"Suppliers can apply for products approved as standard IMs to be considered for substantial IM status. For example, ECO3 approved IMs, or ECO4 IMs where additional evidence has been collected to demonstrate a substantial improvement."
The published list does not state which properties or how many households can receive the UKSOL measure, and no eligibility criteria specific to it have been reported1. The list also does not set out the technical specification of the panels or the optimisers beyond the measure description, and no installation figures for the measure have been reported1.
Why it matters for households
ECO4 is a supplier-funded obligation, so the cost of a delivered measure falls to obligated suppliers rather than the householder, and the uplift attached to a measure affects how it scores within a supplier's obligation1. A substantial uplift of 45% means the measure counts for more than a standard innovation measure at 25%, which can change which measures suppliers choose to fund in a given property1. For a household, solar generation can reduce the amount of electricity bought from the grid, which bears on a home's energy independence, though the sources do not quantify savings for this measure1. The requirement to use TrustMark registered businesses and to lodge the measure with TrustMark gives a route to check that an installation was delivered under the scheme1.
What happens next
The sources do not state what those later approvals cover, and no next steps specific to measure 022 have been reported1.
Sources3 cited
- ECO4 Innovation: Approved innovation measures, ofgem.gov.uk
- ECO4 Innovation: Approved innovation measures, ofgem.gov.uk
- ECO4 Innovation: Approved innovation measures, ofgem.gov.uk