MCS certificate in U.K.

hi everyone,
As we are all diyers on here and fit out own solar arraysystems,how do us in the uk get an MCS certificate for the utility companies, so we can get the feed in tariff?
If anyone Know how to get them,can do themor knows someone that can,please message me,
Thanks very much,
Phil.

If it's like here in the US, you contact your local power company to have their Electrical Engineer come out and inspect everything. This is after you have the Fire Marshal do their inspection to make sure everything is Certified (Like CE certification, for example). This certification can be field approved, but only by the governing authority of those fields (usually the fire marshal as they the cert is to say that the electrical connections are correct and won't start a fire by being under sized). It's possible the EE can do that as well.

Not sure if there's more to it than that (I'm sure there is, tho)

I would be interested to know, although after talking to Ofgem and a lot of research, if you use non listed panels or any second hand equipment (second hand panels or inverter) then it automatically does not qualify. The installation has to be "completed" by an MCS certified entity and this could mean that they just sign it off as qualifying... metering has issues.

My installation is non qualifying because I used second hand panels, battery packs do not fit in the scheme at all if they are charged directly from solar with a MPPT charge controller because as I understand it all metering is AC based post inverter and no DC metering capacity at all which adds to the issues. Means you have to have a grid tie inverter and then a separate charge controller that can charge from the mains tracking the solar output or your total house demand. There are some that say the FIT meter goes after the inverter on your battery pack, but this then makes the limitation you have to have all of the power out via a MCS registered and qualifying battery inverter, of which there are few and very expensive....

For me the cost of going MCS and tariff route was over 3x what it cost me for the same capacity, the extra 2x the cost would not pay back from the FIT as I do not believe that the 50% deemed export will continue post 2022 or after the smart meter roll out is completed. If you have no exports (you battery pack and home use should see to that) then the FIT is only the generation value... post 2022. Could make sense but a generation only return for a FIT at current rates can make for a very, very long payback.

I would be really, really, really, really, happy if I could qualify but under the existing schemes I may see a formation of pigs flying overhead beforehand. Please let me know if you find out if there is a way...

Pretty sure you cant get one without a verified solar company doing the install.

Feed in tariff isn't much good anymore anyway.

Yeah, what they said - you can't unless you pony up the for some 'solar installer' to supply/fit the stuff for you. Personally I would just forget about it

Yeah, Ive looked into it by asking an ex solar fitter and its exactly what COMPLETELY CHARGED very well explained, Ive given up with the feedin tariff, its really low returns in the uk at the moment anyway, its not what I was hoping for but thats how it is now,
If I do find a way round it all or the laws change, Ill update this thread,
Thanks for all the replied,
phil.

Wait until the smart meter rollout is completed and then you will have the export option... if you have a battery / powerwall then you will have a big advantage at that time and make up for the lack of any feed in now. Smart meters will be rolled out before commercial battery packs are viable (cheap enough) for home use when bought and installed by "professionals" and likely domestic in the UK will never really see battery packs cheap enough for another 10 years.

If a car manufacturer is taking thier "used" car bateries, putting them into a powerwall and then selling them at a "new" price, is the consumer really going to pay a full price for the battery that makes no economic sense ? These battery packs will all end up in commercial/industrial sites at an economy of scale way before the consumer is duped into buying them at a price that will never pay back. Selling them to the consumer is a headline grabber...

DIY powerwalls work...

So reading that had confirmed to me what I've initially been thinking but wanted to find confirmation, which ticks of another box for me.
collect my own solar through a system I put together myself. Approx 4kw. Have it grid tied for convenience obviously. Then over time add mass storage and accompanying bms and control.
Try to make it as efficient as possible to be self sufficient but have supplier as a get out of jail free card.
Add immersion elements to my existing electric hot water system, to dump power into from now, but balance that out once I have a battery system in place.