New MCS Certificate

[jason121]

Part P

 

[Worcester]

Also relates to Part A - be careful with your response, not all MCS certification bodies are equal ...

CPS = Competent Persons Scheme.

 

[Worcester]

My question si though....

On a commerical contract if the client sources themselves the panels, mounting, system, cables and inverter etc, as specified by the MCS certified installer, Then what price would you enter, as you would have no idea... - Also applies to social housing or new development jobs...

 

[Worcester]

Is this his/her opinion or MCS/gemserves position? As ofgem and decc as of may last year thought and stated TIC= panels. All fit suppliers ask for number of panels and peak wattage now so its ofgem and deccs position that tic = panels

Seeing as I had the head of the MCS division from Gemserv, his employees and Ofgem sitting at the same table at the time, - and I asked him twice this was clearly not a personal opinion, it was clearly the "MCS Licensee's" offical position

 

[TedM]

Did the OFGEM representative at that meeting not respond to this statement? If not I could only surmise that they did not realise the significance of what was being said, or maybe they were experiencing temporary 'professional deafness'.

 

[Worcester]

Ofgem fully understood EXACTLY what was being said, as I put forward the idea of an east / west 2 x 2.5kW system as the example... They declined to give an answer though, and didn't "correct" Gemserv, despite being prompted to comment at least twice...

Also re my comment on cost of system above, I've just registered a new site on the database, and the instructions tell you to put 0.00 in for the price untill they have clarification of what DECC want it for

 

[Gavin A]

My discussions with the head of the MCS unit at gemserv were unambiguous and very concise.

If you install an inverter capped at 16A then the TIC = 3.68kW irrespective of the kWp of the panels.


The SSEG is the inverter (that's what has to be installed to G83 / G59 etc) the panels are purely the power source, in the same way that a pile of coal is for a coal fired power station.

unless you have that in writing it's meaningless.

I have it in writing from the head of the renewables section at Ofgem that they do not accept this is the case, and were instructing Gemserve to that effect.

Cost me about a grand in refunds, and £2.5k in legal fees as well did that dispute before we were forced to give up challenging them.

 

[Gavin A]

Though it's very interesting that you've had that opinion verbally from MCS in that setting. I might go back to Ofgem with that statement and see if they've changed their position again.

 

[BruceB]

I have it in writing from the head of the renewables section at Ofgem that they do not accept this is the case, and were instructing Gemserve to that effect.

Although OFGEM have said that to you, both OFGEM and Gemserve in their formally published guidance to date have been quite careful not to contradict the legislation as I interpret it (ie the same way as Worcester). Gemserve are just a commercial company providing a service and will be quite careful to make sure they do not do anything that will leave them liable downstream. OFGEM I regret are a) covering their arris not wanting to admit a mistake they have made in interpreting the legislation and hoping the issue will go away and b) probably think they are doing the right thing minimising solar pv fit payments after all the initial furore even if that is not what the legislation says nor what they have formally been instructed to do.

 

[matt25]

Also relates to Part A - be careful with your response, not all MCS certification bodies are equal ...

CPS = Competent Persons Scheme.

Thank you, so basically its registered with a CPS when we register the part p cert on the nic website?