Intertek Shanghai, a global independent third-party testing, inspection and certification organisation, has been announced as the latest Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS) product certification body.
It becomes the 10th MCS product certification body and the second to be based outside of Europe, and will focus on the product certification of solar panels and heat pumps.
According to MCS, there are currently 131 manufacturers with MCS certified heat pump products, a 25% increase over the last 12 months. For solar panels, this figure stands at 181, representing a 9% increase in the number of manufacturers that have certified solar products over the last 12 months. As a result, there are now more than 1,500 MCS certified heat pump products and over 90,000 solar panel products.
Ian Rippin, CEO at MCS, said: “The demand for small-scale renewables continues to gather pace in the UK, with solar panel installations surpassing the 1.5m mark and heat pumps on track for a record-breaking year in 2024. This is reflected in the significant growth we’ve seen in the number of MCS certified contractors – an increase of 38% over the past 12 months – but it’s crucial that product choice also mirrors this to service the growing demand.
“This is where accredited product certification bodies have a really important role to play in strengthening the UK supply chain for renewable technologies. They provide rigorous testing of products to ensure they are high-quality and certified, which ultimately broadens choice for installers and consumers alike. Intertek Shanghai has a fantastic reputation in the testing, inspection and certification sector, so it’s great to welcome them as our second product certification body outside of Europe.”