The Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS) is responsible for the certification of solar panel installers. As a result of Which? ‘s campaign the MCS have made some changes to their rules.
Solar panels
(image credit: joncallas)
The MCS has amended its regulations with regard to the way that the calculation of the amount of generated electricity is made for a particular solar panel installation. As a result, any companies that are members of the scheme will provide the customer with more realistic estimates of the amount of money that is likely to be made by installing a solar panel system. In addition, the way that installers give an indication of how long it will take before you have covered the cost of having solar panels installed has been changed resulting in a more accurate estimate.
Back in July 2011,Which? investigated solar panel installers and discovered that of the 12 companies that they looked into 8 of them underestimated the amount of time that the solar panel installation would take to cover the installation costs. The main reason why this happened was due to the procedure the companies used to provide these estimates.
An issue with the previous system used was that the same calculation was made whether the property requiring solar panels was located in Manchester or Dover yet the home in Dover will not receive the same level of radiation from the sun as the house in Manchester over a twelve month period. Which? campaigned for this rule to be changed which the MCS has agreed to.
Which? also campaigned for solar panel installers to take into account the effect that shade may have on solar panel costings and, again, the MCS has agreed to this.
It would make sense that if you are considering having solar panels installed that you use a company that is certified by the MCS.
