The third phase of updates to the MCS Data Dashboard went live on Monday 24 August 2026, the certification body MCS has announced. The changes were developed from feedback gathered from Dashboard users on what improvements and new features could be added to support their work1.
The Dashboard draws data from the MCS Installations Database (MID) to provide near-real-time visuals on the uptake of small-scale renewable technologies, such as solar panels and heat pumps, in homes and small businesses across the UK1. It allows users to filter data by year, month, technology, property type and location, and MCS states its purpose is to inform government policy, support stakeholder decision-making and keep the public informed1.
Phase 3 adds six named changes1:
| Change | Detail |
|---|---|
| Saved views | Every user can save their view, which loads to their saved settings whenever they open the tool |
| Download identifiers | Unique ID and timestamps are added to downloads from the Dashboard |
| Installer counts | Total installers by technology added to the Technology Type Breakdown graphic |
| Climbers table | More dynamic, with an adjustable drop-down showing the top 10 by volume, percentage growth, change in uptake, or growers in the selected time frame |
| Capacity graph | Added to the Installation Cost section, showing total installed capacity |
| Most and Fewest tables | Showing installations by area, covering installation volumes as well as uptake |
"From Monday 24 August, the third phase of updates for the MCS Data Dashboard is live"
MCS describes the Dashboard as part of its commitment to sharing the latest insights and providing a transparent snapshot of the renewables industry to support growth and identify trends1. The announcement notes that this is becoming more crucial as renewables continue to break records in the UK, with the first six months of 2026 the best yet1. The body's stated purpose is "to give everyone confidence in home-grown energy"2.
Why it matters for households
The Dashboard is a public record of certified installations, so it is one of the few places where a householder or an adviser can see how many solar panel and heat pump installations have been recorded in a given area, for a given property type, in a given month. Phase 3 does not change what is installed or how it is certified; it changes what can be seen and how easily.
The practical additions are the saved view, which means a regular user returns to the same filters rather than rebuilding them, and the unique ID and timestamps on downloads, which make a downloaded figure traceable to the moment it was taken. The installer counts by technology, the capacity graph and the Most and Fewest tables by area add context that was previously spread across separate graphics. For a household weighing up whether a technology is common or rare locally, or how much capacity has been installed in its area, these are the figures that answer the question. What the Dashboard does not do is assess any individual property, quote a price or recommend an installer; it reports what has been certified and recorded.
What happens next
No further phases of Dashboard updates are dated in the announcement1. MCS's news listings show later items, including a response to plug-in solar panels becoming available in the UK, a piece on consumer protection, and the next phase of air-to-air heat pump implementation, but none of these is described as a Dashboard phase3.
The MCS Data Dashboard sits within the site's wider market data coverage.
Sources8 cited
- Phase 3 of MCS Data Dashboard launches - MCS, mcscertified.com
- Latest News - MCS, mcscertified.com
- Pre-sale & System Performance Estimate Standards Archives - MCS, mcscertified.com
- Heat Pumps Archives - MCS, mcscertified.com
- Solar heating installer Archives - MCS, mcscertified.com
- Solar Mounting Archives - MCS, mcscertified.com
- Standard Archive - MCS, mcscertified.com
- Product Standards Archives - MCS, mcscertified.com