The MCS Foundation

In a recent article with Elemental London, our acting chief executive David Cowdrey explains why #SolarPV should be mandatory on all new homes. As David highlights, installing #solar at the construction stage is a huge win—slashing #EnergyBills, boosting #sustainable #energy production, and getting us closer to #NetZero.    David calls for decisive action to make solar standard, so every new home contains #renewable energy technology.    Read more about his perspective here: https://lnkd.in/es9wPrZR 

We at The MCS Foundation welcome the #Chancellor's announcement of #funding for #decarbonising UK home #heating. With an initial £1billion allocated for the #WarmHomesPlan and a guarantee of £3.4 billion toward heat #decarbonisation over the next four years, this is encouraging.    Additional support for the #BoilerUpgradeScheme and UK #HeatPump manufacturing shows momentum, but to reach 600,000 heat pump installations per year by 2028, we need bolder action and fully funded #policies to overcome existing barriers.    David Cowdrey, Acting CEO, points out that while today's measures are welcome, the UK still lags behind Europe. Moving #environmental levies off #electricity #bills, introducing the #FutureHomesStandard, and launching the #CleanHeat Market Mechanism are key to scaling deployment.    Read more: https://lnkd.in/eRaggXZE 

The #LARA (Local Area Retrofit Accelerator) pilot is now live in Derbyshire  & Nottinghamshire, Hertfordshire, Liverpool City Region, and Surrey. More info here: https://lnkd.in/eJwR62qJ With support from Ashden, Connected Places Catapult, the National Retrofit Hub and the UK Green Building Council (UKGBC), LARA empowers stakeholders to address #retrofit challenges—boosting demand, growing local #SupplyChains, and building a robust retrofit strategy tailored to each area’s needs.    Through expert-led workshops, #councils, #SocialLandlords, #TrainingProviders, and #CommunityGroups will unite to set clear goals and plan interventions, maximizing local resources and drawing external #investment. Results of the pilot will be shared in Spring 2025, laying the foundation for wider adoption across the UK.

Good to see widespread coverage of the rise in MCS certified heat pump installations. Latest coverage in The Independent and elsewhere cites MCS figures. 2024 is a record-breaking year for MCS certified #HeatPump installations, with a 39% increase in average monthly heat pump installations from last year.     The article points out that heat pumps are not only better for the #environment but are also highly efficient. In addition, the #BoilerUpgradeScheme offers #homeowners a #grant of £7,500 towards heat pump installations. This makes it easier and more affordable for #households to switch to cleaner, more #sustainable #heating solutions.    Ian Rippin, CEO of MCS, says, “It’s great to see more consumers across the UK making the switch to heat pumps for their home heating needs”. He emphasises that while this is brilliant news for the technology, more work is needed to meet the #government’s ambitious heat pump targets for #NetZero.    This momentum is crucial as we continue to push for #sustainable energy. With every new installation, households are cutting #emissions and contributing to the decarbonisation of home heating. MCS certification remains at the forefront, empowering homeowners to confidently make the transition to cleaner heat.     https://lnkd.in/dFQEdAPU

Following a comment provided by the #Government to The Guardian today, it appears that #Labour is considering scrapping plans to make #SolarPanels mandatory for new homes. If true, this is a significant setback to ensuring #NewBuilds are built fit for the future.    David Cowdrey, acting CEO of The MCS Foundation, expressed his disappointment, calling this decision an “enormous missed opportunity” to boost #SolarPower, save homeowners on #EnergyCosts, and add up to 4GW of cheap #electricity to the grid.    At The MCS Foundation, we firmly believe that solar panels should be a standard feature in all new builds. With 80% of the public supporting solar on new homes according to YouGov polling, it’s clear that the time for mandating #RenewableEnergy is now. Encouraging solar “where appropriate” is simply not good enough. This is a moment where bold leadership is needed to ensure our housing stock is fit for the future, both in terms of #EnergyEfficiency and #sustainability.    https://lnkd.in/gwYmr65x

The #CleanHeat Market Mechanism (CHMM) is vital to achieving the #UK’s target of 600,000 #HeatPump installations by 2028, key to #decarbonising #HomeHeating. However, its delay is slowing progress. At MCS Foundation, we urge swift #government action to introduce the #CHMM, building #industry confidence and pushing the UK closer to #NetZero. The future of heating is clean, and we need #policies that support this.    Join us in advocating for the CHMM. Use our quick and easy template to write to your #MP: https://lnkd.in/eb_Y-P6f 

As reported in The Guardian, a cross-party group of #MPs and over a dozen #charities have called for mandatory #SolarPanels on all #NewHomes under the #FutureHomesStandard.     The MPs and charities say it is essential that all new homes are built to standards that ensure low bills and minimal #CarbonEmissions, adding “We should not be building houses in the next five years that will have to be #retrofitted, at much greater cost, five or ten years later.”    A recent MCS Foundation report found that installing solar panels as well as #HeatPumps and #batteries in new homes would result in thousands of pounds of #savings for homeowners. The average cumulative energy savings from solar panels, heat pump and battery storage installations on a 3-bed semi-detached house would be up to £46,612 over the loan term of a 25-year #mortgage.     Delaying this shift means costly #retrofitting later. It's time for the #government to act and make #RenewableEnergy standard in #NewBuilds.    https://lnkd.in/eP-MjKFH

Today we joined the Heat Pump Association (HPA) and #HeatPump industry representatives at the Houses of #Parliament to discuss growth in the heat pump sector with #MPs and #Peers. We spoke about the need for long term certainty to ensure confidence in the sector, including by bringing forward the #FutureHomesStandard without delay. We also discussed the #UK having some of the highest #electricity prices in #Europe and the need to reform these costs, benefiting both communities and the #environment. By shifting environmental and social levies into general #taxation, electricity could cost much less, ensuring #HeatPumps are always cheaper to run than a #GasBoiler. This change would accelerate the transition to #LowCarbon #heating and help us hit #NetZero targets. Thanks to Bill Esterson, Paul Kohler, Alison Bennett, Perran Moon, Kensa Heat Pumps and all MPs, manufacturers and visitors today! Help us spread the word - use our quick and easy template at the link below to write to your #MP and ask for their support in reforming electricity pricing. https://lnkd.in/e6zMJGxg

In today’s copy of The Times, Adam Vaughan reports that last year the UK hit 40,426 MCS certified installations. However, as of early October 2024, we’ve already surpassed that figure with over 42,000 installations – and there’s still three months to go! This represents a 39% increase in average monthly installations compared to 2023.     This growth in #HeatPump adoption highlights a significant shift in the way the UK heats its #homes, reducing reliance on #carbon-heavy options and embracing #LowCarbon #heating technologies. The #Boiler Upgrade Scheme (#BUS) continues to play a pivotal role, offering grants of up to £7,500 toward replacing #FossilFuel heating systems with #renewable tech.     While this surge in installations demonstrates growing consumer confidence, we still have a way to go to meet the government’s ambitious target of 600,000 installations annually by 2028. MCS certification is critical in maintaining this momentum, ensuring the quality, safety, and performance of each installation.     We’re excited to see how the sector continues to grow, and we remain committed to supporting consumers, #installers, and #policymakers in this green energy transition.    For more information about MCS Certified installations, check out the MCS Data Dashboard: https://lnkd.in/eNu8Xqn9  

On September 30, 2024, as reported by The Times’ Adam Vaughan, the UK made history by becoming the first developed country to stop using #coal for #electricity generation, closing the chapter on 142 years of coal power. With the shutdown of Ratcliffe-on-Soar, Britain's last coal-fired #power station, we celebrate a monumental step in our transition to #CleanEnergy.    But the journey is far from over. As we bid farewell to coal, we must accelerate the shift to #renewables like #wind, #solar, and #BatteryStorage to eliminate #gas and transition to 100% clean energy by 2030. This is not just about hitting targets; it's about protecting our #planet for future generations. The rapid rise of #renewable technologies is already reshaping our #energy landscape, and now, more than ever, we need to invest in these solutions.    https://lnkd.in/edHVjQyE