MCS (Microgeneration Certification Scheme) certifies low-carbon products and installations used to produce electricity and heat from renewable sources. They support the growth of small scale renewables in the UK – such as solar rooftop panels on homes – through ensuring availability and quality of installers and products.

Today MCS released their ‘Renewing Britain’ report, outlining their journey since they launched in 2007, and the dramatic changes in the landscape for low carbon technologies over the past 14 years.

Some highlights from the report include:

• In 2008 there were 43 small-scale renewable installations registered under MCS. By the end of 2020 there were over 1.2 million.
• The primary technology installed over the last 14 years is Solar PV, but in recent years we have seen a growth in the deployment of Heat Pumps.
• We’ve found that there are ‘Forests’ and ‘Deserts’ of renewable technologies i.e. areas of high installations and areas of low installations. The South East of England is a desert, with renewable energy installations in just 4.3% of homes.

Tim Lunel, our Project Manager at Cosy Homes Oxfordshire, has also been Chair of MCS since 2018. One of the changes he was keen to bring about when he became Chair was to bring the wealth of data MCS have about small-scale renewables in the UK into the public eye – this report marks the start of that change.

“We have a clear vision: to see MCS Certified products and installations in every UK home and community. This Renewing Britain report gives is for the first time a clear milestone in our progress towards that destination. We have got to this point by working in partnership with our stakeholders. We now need to accelerate this transition of our housing stock and will be relying on working with industry, government and every citizen and community in the UK to make our vision a reality.”

Tim Lunel, MCS Chair and Cosy Homes Project Manager