News
“Installers must make a fundamental shift away from simply saying that PV will make their
J\Z[VTLYZHWYVÄ[¹1LYY`/HTPS[VU9L_LSW
HHIC propose MCS
alternative
The Heating and Hotwater Industry Council
(HHIC) is developing a Renewable Installer
Accreditation Scheme as an affordable
alternative to MCS.
The initiative is to be based on
Competent Persons Scheme framework with
Trustmark delivering the consumer protection
element, ensuring that a quality service to
provided to end users.
According to the scheme’s partner
organisations, which include BEAMA and
Worcester, Bosch, an alternative is needed to
MCS accreditation which is bureaucratic and
expensive to installers.
They add that an open market would not
only give installers greater choice in gaining
accreditation, which thus far has been limited
to MCS to enable end users to access FiT
and RHI subsidies, but could encourage MCS
to make the requisite changes to the way it
operates.
“As far as MCS is concerned, we have
almost forgotten who the customer is. The
government thinks it’s the homeowner, but
our number one customer is different – it
is the supply chain and installers who are
the decision makers,” said Neil Schofield,
Worcester, Bosch’s head of governmental and
external affairs.
“MCS has got in the way of business
by being onerous. We need a scheme that
protects customers but MCS has been hard
work. We need to shake up the argument and
ask if there is a better way of doing this.”
Isaac Occhipinti, head of external affairs
at HHIC, added: “This idea came about from
conversations with our members. We want
people to feedback their thoughts to us.
“Competition is always good for the
market but, if as a minimum it persuades MCS
to make changes, then we think it is a good
idea.”
Further details of the scheme are
available at: http://www.eua.org.uk/
Top prize: L-R Mark Antrobus (BPEC Trustee), Watson Carlill (BPEC Trustee), Stephanie Moore and
Emily Gait (Pump Aid), George Thomson (BPEC Trustee)
Pump Aid scoops Charity Life Award
£41,525 has been given in charitable
donations by BPEC at its fourth annual
Charity Life Award.
The successful projects aim to use
plumbing skills to enhance the lives of those
less fortunate in the UK and abroad.
Over 100 members of the plumbing and
heating industries gathered at Derbyshire
County Cricket Club on Friday 16 October to
see three awards made by the BPEC charity,
with a further three receiving money from the
BPEC legacy fund.
Emily Gait and Stephanie Moore from
Pump Aid were presented with a cheque
for £15,000 to build 10 new elephant water
pumps across rural communities in Malawi,
whilst Township plumber trainer programme
in South Africa was given £9,100 to train local
people in basic plumbing skills.
£8,550 was awarded to Friends of
Sawbridgeworth Neurological Centres to
Events
Greenbuild Expo
10-11 Nov Manchester Central
http://www.greenbuildexpo.co.uk Intersolar
22-24 June Messe Munich
https://www.intersolar.de/cn/home.html
Solar UK Conference 20GW by 2020
12 Nov BRE Headquarters, Watford
http://www.solar-uk-conference.co.uk/2015/
index.php The Renewables Event
13-14 Sept NEC, Birmingham
http://www.therenewablesevent.com/
Ecobuild 2016
08-10 Mar London, ExCel
http://ecobuild.co.uk
4 | www.renewableenergyinstaller.co.uk
purchase two specialised shower chairs to
give residents a comfortable and dignified
means of using bathroom facilities.
BPEC chairman, Frank Glover, said:
“2015 has been another brilliant Life Award
event; the panel of Trustees have been truly
inspired by the submissions that have been
received this year.
“The Life Award continues to have
an inspirational effect on everyone
connected with the projects and is changing
perspectives and attitudes in a really
positive way. The experience the plumbers
gain by being involved in the projects is
immeasurable and helps to develop their
skills to operate in today’s competitive
marketplace.”
The closing date for applications for the
2016 BPEC Life Award in June 30 2016. To
find out more about submitting entries visit:
www.bpec.org.uk/the-bpec-charity
Clean Energy Live
04-06 Oct NEC, Birmingham
http://uk.solarenergyevents.com/