MCS (Microgeneration Certification Scheme), described in its announcement as the standards organisation for small-scale domestic renewable energy and technology across the UK, said on 5 October 2023 that it had appointed Brian Wright as Group Finance Director1. The appointment was announced alongside plans to redevelop the scheme's oversight of consumer protection, quality and compliance across the low-carbon sector1.
The redevelopment plans follow a six-week scheme consultation held in the summer of 20231. MCS has not reported what the consultation covered, what responses it received, or what specific changes to its oversight will follow; those details have not been published1.
As the first MCS Group Finance Director, Wright will be responsible for financial management across both MCS and The MCS Foundation1. That role covers whole system finances, from generating revenue at MCS and donating 100 per cent of surplus income to The MCS Foundation, to overseeing the allocation of grants from the foundation to projects and organisations developing low-carbon solutions, technologies and community efforts1. MCS said the aim of that grant funding is to help drive the UK towards decarbonisation of homes and businesses1.
Wright has worked for more than 15 years in finance across multiple industries, including financial services, energy, construction and the public sector, and trained and qualified as an ACA accountant in a top ten practice1. MCS said he brings experience in statutory accounting, management accounting, systems migration, governance and payroll, in environments ranging from SMEs to PLCs1.
Ian Rippin, chief executive of MCS, said the organisation's finances had improved over the previous five years1:
"The financial performance of MCS has significantly improved over the last five years, moving from a loss-making enterprise at novation, to one that today makes a significant contribution to the development and future growth of the sector. We're therefore delighted to welcome Brian to the MCS team. He brings a wealth of experience and knowledge to the organisation that will be critical for achieving our ambitious new plans to support UK consumers and contractors."
Why it matters for households
MCS certification is the route by which most domestic renewable installations, including solar panels and heat pumps, are certified for the government's household incentive schemes, and it underpins the consumer protection arrangements that apply when a certified installer carries out work. The scheme's own explanation of how certification, standards and complaints handling fit together is set out in MCS: The Microgeneration Certification Scheme Explained.
The announcement concerns the body that sets and polices those standards rather than any change to the standards themselves. MCS has said it intends to redevelop its oversight of consumer protection, quality and compliance, but has not reported what that will mean in practice for a household commissioning an installation, for the certificate issued on completion, or for how a complaint is handled. Until those details are published, the practical effect on a home's energy independence is not known.
The financial arrangements described are internal to the organisation: surplus income at MCS is donated to The MCS Foundation, which then allocates grants1. No figures for that surplus, for the grants, or for the cost of the redevelopment have been reported1.
Householders weighing quality schemes more broadly can compare the arrangements described for TrustMark: The Government-Endorsed Quality Scheme and The HIES Consumer Code and Its Deposit and Guarantee Protection, both of which sit alongside MCS in the domestic retrofit market. Further background on certification and standards bodies is collected under regulation and policy, with installer-facing material under installers and retailers.
What happens next
No timetable for the redevelopment of MCS oversight has been reported, and no date has been given for the publication of the consultation outcome1. Wright's start date was not stated in the announcement1.