TÜV Rheinland Accredited as MCS Certification Body for Renewable Energy in the UK
7th August 2023
TÜV Rheinland (China) Ltd., a subsidiary of TÜV Rheinland Group, an international independent third-party testing, inspection, and certification organisation, has been announced as a new product certification body of the Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS) in the UK. This marks TÜV Rheinland (China) Ltd. as the first MCS product certification body based outside of Europe. The partnership will initially focus on the certification of solar panel products, with a strategic vision to expand into heat pump technology in the future.
MCS, the standards organisation for small-scale renewable energy and heating across the UK, requires installers and product manufacturers to adhere to a certain level of quality in line with their product and installation standards. Product certification to MCS standards is managed by accredited certification bodies. Today, MCS certification is held by 71 manufacturers across their ranges of solar PV products. TÜV Rheinland will assess products in its testing laboratories to ensure that they comply with the quality standards required under MCS and award use of the MCS certification mark.
Ian Rippin, CEO of MCS, said at the announcement: “The UK’s demand for solar powered homes has never been higher, and is set to increase further under UK government plans to increase solar capacity by nearly fivefold to 70 GW by 2035 as part of wider plans to power up Britain with cleaner, cheaper, and more secure energy sources,“
He added, “Accredited product certification bodies play a critical role in strengthening the UK supply chain for renewable technologies and will help broaden choice for installers and consumers alike. This is a significant relationship for us, TÜV Rheinland is a large and well-respected certification body, and the partnership will help us to champion quality and grow the number of certified products. “
Strengthening the alliance, Dr. Christos Monokroussos and Li Weichun, two technical experts from TÜV Rheinland, have joined the MCS Solar PV and Battery Storage Working Groups responsible for formulating standards. Their expertise and experience in the fields of solar energy and power electronics will be instrumental to MCS in driving the future development of renewable energy.
Kimmo Fuller, Executive Vice President of TÜV Rheinland Business Stream Products, stated: “Our partnership with MCS is an opportunity to take renewable energy technology to new heights in the UK. Our longstanding commitment to sustainability and global presence in renewable energy will contribute to innovation, product reliability, and efficiency. We’re reinforcing the vision of MCS certification as the gold standard in homes and communities across the country.“
For over four decades, TÜV Rheinland has been committed to promoting sustainable energy. Its continuous service expansion from the solar energy, wind power, and energy storage system to the heat pump, electric vehicle supply equipment (EVSE), and power battery sectors underscores this commitment.
As the low-carbon landscape continues to evolve, TÜV Rheinland and MCS will collaborate to explore cutting-edge technologies and promote the accessibility, trustworthiness, and adoption of sustainable energy technologies across the UK, leading the path towards a more sustainable future.