Certified installer route
Competence and quality-management requirements sit behind certification.
Quality assurance for small-scale renewable energy
MCS certification standards
Understand what MCS means, where it fits into a REST installation and which documents should form part of a complete solar handover.
Independent standards and customer protection explained clearly.Documented design
The system is designed and recorded against applicable scheme standards.
Testing and commissioning
Installation evidence and electrical records support the final handover.
MCS certificate
A registered installation receives an MCS certificate after completion.
What MCS is
A recognised quality-assurance scheme for small-scale renewables.
MCS defines standards for certified installers and products. It is not a product warranty and it does not guarantee a specific energy saving, but it provides an important framework for competence, design, installation and recorded quality.
Certified contractors
Installer certification is supported by assessed competence, processes and ongoing scheme requirements.
Technical standards
Applicable standards guide system design, installation, commissioning and the evidence retained for the project.
Certified products
Relevant products used within an MCS installation must meet the applicable product requirements and system design.
Installation database
Completed installations are registered and an MCS certificate is generated for the customer.
The REST handover route
From survey information to a registered installation.
REST coordinates the design, permissions, installation evidence, commissioning and customer documents around the final agreed system.
Property and system assessment
Roof, shading, electrical arrangement, equipment location and expected demand are reviewed.
Design and approvals
The array, inverter, battery and protection requirements are specified, with the relevant DNO route considered.
Installation and testing
Qualified teams install, inspect, test and commission the agreed equipment.
Registration and handover
The completion evidence supports certification, monitoring setup and the customer handover pack.
What customers should retain
Keep the system documents together for future ownership.
The exact pack depends on the project, but a REST handover can include the key records below.
MCS installation certificate
Electrical installation certification and test information
PV array test report and commissioning records
DNO notification or approval information where applicable
Product, workmanship and insurance-backed guarantee information
System layout, operating guidance and monitoring access
Questions
Useful answers before you continue.
No. Generation and savings depend on the property, weather, usage, tariffs, equipment and system operation. MCS provides a standards and certification framework rather than a financial guarantee.
It is generated after the installation has been completed, registered and the required information has been submitted through the certified route.
It is commonly requested by Smart Export Guarantee suppliers as part of their eligibility checks, alongside export metering and other tariff requirements.
Contact REST promptly with the installation reference and the information that needs checking.