MCS has been designed by the Department for Energy and Climate Change (DECC) in order to evaluate both microgeneration products and installers to ensure they meet the necessary criteria. It is now run by GemServ.
The aims of the scheme are:
To act as a "kite-mark" to demonstrate product quality and energy performance minimum standards.
To increase consumer confidence that both products and installers reach the exacting standards required and that microgeneration products make a substantial contribution towards cutting the UK's dependency on fossil fuels and its carbon dioxide emissions.
The scheme will underpin the Low Carbon Buildings Programme (LCBP), which is split into two phases.
Phase 1 will cover funding for households until February 2011, when the Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) will be introduced. Phase 1 has been partially replaced by the Feed-in Tariff (FIT) to cover electrical generation funding. Under Phase 2, public sector and not-for-profit organisations are eligible for grants of up to 50 per cent of the total cost of installations of up to a maximum of 50kW electricity and 300kW heat.
The following Baxi products have all now achieved MCS certification:
- Baxi Solarflo in-roof solar panels
- Baxi Ambiflo air source heat pumps
- Baxi Multiheat biomass
- Baxi Solo Innova biomass
The Baxi Ecogen is currently undergoing the certification process, in preparation for its commercial launch in April 2010.
For more information on MCS, please visit www.microgenerationcertification.org.uk
