Day4 Energy Inc. has received microgeneration certification scheme (MCS) status enabling it to begin selling Day4 60MC-I solar photovoltaic (PV) modules in the U.K.
An industry-led and funded scheme, MCS is focused on ensuring the quality of renewable technology installations and products. Certifying micro-generation technologies used to produce electricity and heat from renewable sources, MCS is required for end users to benefit from the feed-in tariff subsidy that the U.K. government launched in April 2010.
According to a recent industry report, the U.K. experienced unprecedented growth in solar PV demand with installations reaching an estimated 45MW in 2010, up from just 4MW the previous year. Demand in this rapidly expanding market is expected to exceed 146MW in 2011.
When asked by Business in Vancouver what this designation meant to Day4 Energy, president George Rubin said, “This certification is a prerequisite – you can sell panels in the U.K. without it, but they’re not eligible for the subsidy.”
European governments are leaning toward rooftop mounted solar panels because they feel this is where solar makes the most sense. Any other energy source is location dependent or has to be centralized because of the sheer size of the footprint.
Rubin noted, “Solar is scaleable and available everywhere.”
He added that while Ontario has adopted a comparable certification scheme to the U.K.’s, there are no such subsidies in B.C.
However, Rubin noted that, “There has been enough talk at the government level that I am hopeful we will soon have similar programs.”