Solar red tape

It’s tempting to think that there is far too much red tape involved in solar PV installation in the UK.

The Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS) is highly regulated, and ensuring compliance is virtually a full-time job in itself. There’s a lot of paperwork, which customers sometimes find confusing, and installers must be meticulous in their record-keeping.

It can be a pain. But last week we were reminded that it does have a purpose. The Watchdog report on BBC1 last Thursday highlighted the fact that while solar PV installers have to be MCS accredited and follow the REAL (Renewable Energy Assurance Limited) code of practice, there are plenty of companies out there acting as middle-men, and they are not subject to the same strict rules and regulations.

We shouldn’t be too panicked about this. We’ve seen lots of new consumer protection legislation over the past few years, thanks largely to EU Directives. In theory, consumers have never been better protected than they are now (although it’s arguable that it’s simply too much for the average person to wade through). Most of the unscrupulous practices that solar PV companies could get involved in are ones that could cause them to fall foul of pre-existing rules, regardless of the requirements of the MCS.

But solar PV is huge. And it’s continuing to grow. Industry specific rules and codes of practice should help to ensure that no loopholes are left. Except that by not requiring brokers and agents to be MCS accredited, this seems to be precisely what’s happened.