Records broken for renewable installations

A record number of renewables were installed last year, with 2022 having the highest number since 2015. Solar PV was the most popular technology, followed by heat pumps. The latest data from MCS (Microgeneration Certification Scheme) shows a 65% increase in renewable installations in 2022 compared to 2021.

A total of 163,341 MCS certified installations were registered last year, over 80% of which were electricity generating technologies – mainly solar PV. With 130,596 solar PV installations throughout the year, there was an overall increase of 114% when compared to the number of installations in the previous year.

Heat pumps are the second most popular technology type behind solar PV and accounted for 19% of total installations last year.

Battery storage is a newcomer in the registered installations for 2022, with the first MCS certified battery storage installation being registered in April 2022. Since then, battery storage has seen a steady growth, finishing the year with 50 certified contractors and 269 installations – this was up from only two contractors registered in 2021.

became MCS certified in 2022 which is more than double the net increase from 2020 to 2021. This makes 2022 the highest annual increase of certified contractors in over a decade. Of these new contractors, 67% are certified for electricity generating technologies, evidencing further the increasing appetite for solar PV on UK homes.

Ian Rippin, CEO of MCS, says: “We had an incredibly busy 2022 and the data confirms the progress we’ve made. The future of small-scale renewable installations is becoming increasingly important, and we continue to play a crucial role in the

“Looking ahead, we need to drive this momentum and upward mobility at pace and continue to ensure consumer confidence across all technology types. To support this and ensure government targets are met, more skilled contractors are needed. As such, we will launch the Low Carbon Heating Technician Apprenticeship later this year. We are confident this will attract young people and career-changers to the industry, creating a more diverse workforce that meets the demands of the industry while providing future-proof careers in the green sector.”