By CCL Components•February 6, 2020•3 Minutes

The Microgeneration Certification Scheme, backed by the government BEIS department (The Department Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy), will be including certification for installers of battery storage. Standards Document MIS 3012.

Initially announced in February last year, the MCS has carried out a thorough consultation process with the likes of Sonnen, Tesla, Moixa and Powervault among others. The process lasted between July-August and with the collective input gathered between the aforementioned and MCS' own expertise; the first standard could be completed for suitable certification of a complete battery install.

Currently, volunteer installers are trialling the scheme with plans to have certification bodies accepting applications for certification this summer.

The first initial standard has been published by the MCS and upon completion of the trial period, the first final edition can be published. It has been stated that installers can follow the initial standard when installing battery storage - in preparation for the finalised version and to quickly receive full accreditation.

See the initial Standard draft here.

Once installers have received accreditation they will be added to the 'approved installers' database which is the gold seal of approval for any installer in the renewables market in the UK. This accreditation, in respect to battery storage, will only be awarded provided the following is confirmed:

• That the system or service meets the Standard (MIS 3012)
• That the contractor has staff, processes and systems in place to ensure that the system or service delivered meets the standard
• Competition of periodic audits of the contractor including testing as appropriate
• Compliance with the contract for the MCS listing and approval including an agreement to rectify faults as appropriate

The new battery storage standard must be abided by in conjunction with the MCS Standard MCS 001.

Once accreditation is achieved, consumers can be assured that the installer is quality assured to design, install and maintain the disciplines that they have been accredited for. These include:

• Solar PV
• Solar Thermal
• Air Source Heat Pumps & Ground Source Heat Pumps
• Biomass
• Wind Turbines
• Micro Hydro
• Micro CHP
• Battery Storage (TBC 2020)

Having accreditation ensures financial incentives such as:

• The Smart Export Guarantee (SEG)
• The Renewable Heat Incentive
• The Green Deal

Battery prices are falling year on year and over the last ten years have fallen approximately 87%.

Home storage is becoming more financially viable. It provides a return on investment for end-users who can offset costly 'red-rate' electricity consumed from the grid, it also provides greater grid security for the DNO's as a battery owner can become a supplementary grid prosumer. This would then also see a battery storage system provide a financial benefit again, through the Smart Export Guarantee.