A new guide has been released by climate change minister Greg Barker, which is hoped to increase standards in the installation of solar photovoltaics.
Under the guide, installers will be required to adhere to a number of stringent stipulations in order to make sure that they are using the best and latest developments in technology, to offer customers the best possible service.
In addition to the new guide, Mr Barker also revealed details of a major update to the MIS 3002 standard for solar PV contractors.
Installers who wish to offer feed in tariffs to their clients must have an accreditation for MCS. From May, the rules around the approval will change, with current MCS holders having to prove they are following the best practice during an assessment. Newly registering companies will simply have to adhere to the standards.
Recent changes to the feed in tariff have meant a delay on the release of the guidelines and follow on from the last update two years ago.
Speaking to Business Green, Chris Roberts, director of Poweri Services and chairman of the industry working group that developed the guide, said:
"As the industry has developed, we have learnt how to do many things better. We have also learned that some of the things we were doing that were precautionary have proved, through experience, to be unnecessary.”
Mr Roberts added that solar panels are no longer products that are only taken up by wealthy idealists, but affordable and attractive for a number of people across the UK.
The update includes a stronger focus upon system performance predictions. Factors such as ensuring solar panels can withstand wind uplift and taking shading into account are features within the new guide. In addition to this, the update also outlines a simplified calculation method for how to better predict system fixing requirements.