What is MCS?
MCS stands for the Microgeneration Certification Scheme. In the UK, MCS is associated with standards for small-scale renewable and low-carbon energy technologies and the businesses that install them.
You are most likely to encounter MCS when researching technologies such as solar photovoltaic systems or heat pumps, although the installer market extends across several technology categories.
For consumers, MCS is commonly encountered while researching companies for a renewable energy installation. For businesses, MCS installer information can also provide a useful way to identify and understand companies operating within the UK renewable energy market.
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What does MCS certified mean?
When a business is described as an MCS certified installer, the important point is that the certification relates to installation work within the MCS scheme.
Certification should not be interpreted as meaning that every MCS installer provides every renewable technology. The technology associated with the installer matters.
For example, one company may be associated with Solar PV, while another may work with air source heat pumps. Some companies operate across multiple technologies.
This distinction becomes particularly important when searching or filtering a large number of installers. A broad list of MCS companies needs to be narrowed to the technology relevant to the research.
Which technologies are found in MCS installer data?
MCS installer information can contain several renewable and low-carbon technology categories.
Technology fields found within the installer data used by Data Menu include:
- Solar PV
- Solar thermal
- Air source heat pumps
- Ground source heat pumps
- Exhaust air heat pumps
- Gas absorption heat pumps
- Solar assisted heat pumps
- Water source heat pumps
- Battery storage
- Biomass
- Hydro
- Wind turbines
- Micro CHP
This technology-level information is useful because it allows an installer search to become much more specific.
If you are interested in two of the most prominent installer categories, see our dedicated guides to MCS solar installers and MCS heat pump installers.
What are MCS certified companies?
The phrase MCS certified companies is often used when searching for businesses connected with certified renewable energy installation.
In practice, it is useful to go beyond the company name and examine the information associated with the installer record.
Depending on the purpose of your research, useful fields may include:
- Installer or company name
- Certification number
- Certification body
- Supported technologies
- Business address
- Postcode
- Website
- Telephone number
- Email address
- UK service regions
Together, these fields provide much more context than a company name alone.
What MCS certification information should you check?
If MCS certification is important to a real installation or purchasing decision, you should check the current information associated with the installer.
A historical list, company website or third-party database can be useful for discovery and research, but certification information can change over time.
In particular, consider the technology associated with the company. Finding an MCS installer is not enough if the company is not certified for the technology relevant to your project.
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How do you find MCS certified installers?
The most useful search method depends on whether you need one installer or information about the wider market.
If you are looking for an installer for a project, start with the required technology and location. From there, research potentially suitable businesses and verify current certification information before making a decision.
Useful filters can include:
- Technology
- Location
- Postcode
- Service region
- Certification information
Our guide to finding an MCS certified installer walks through that process in more detail.
Using MCS installer data for business research
MCS installer information can also be valuable when the objective is not to choose a contractor, but to research the renewable energy industry itself.
Businesses may want to identify installers for purposes such as:
- Market research
- Supplier research
- Partnership development
- Equipment distribution
- Software and technology sales
- Business development
- Industry analysis
In these situations, searching company-by-company can become inefficient. Structured installer information allows larger groups of businesses to be filtered using technology, location and other available fields.
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MCS certification is only the starting point when researching the installer market. Technology, geography and the current certification information attached to a company all help determine whether an installer is relevant to a particular requirement.
For a broader overview, read our complete guide to MCS certified installers in the UK.
Data Menu maintains its MCS installer dataset as an independent research and business data product. It is not the official MCS certification directory, and current certification should be independently verified where it matters to an installation, purchasing, eligibility or compliance decision.