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Hi,

I have a self installed solar array. All registered with the DNO etc, and above board with regards to wiring regulations.

Does anyone know if there is a way to get the install MCS (or other) certified, and if there is any point as the FIT is no more? I have read there is a smart export guarantee. Is it worth it?

Thanks.

You have to weigh up if it is worth the expense of getting it MCS registered (if you can find someone to do that) against how much you are likely to export. I think may be a supplier who will not ask for MCS for your export but I know Octopus do.

As discussed at length you will be lucky to find anyone willing to certify your installation work under MCS unless you are a personal friend of an electrican.

AFAIR Scottish Power is another supplier who require it for SEG customers - that's one reason I was keen to get a certificate for the additional PV panels I had installed recently. Not that there is a satisfactory way of measuring their output ATM, as they charge the battery directly whereas the original panels are on the AC side and qualify for FIT.

So, if I invited an MCS approved installer to add a small say 3kw array on my garden shed for example, was issued the MCS certificate and used that to get Octopus to agree SEG, how would they know my DIY 10Kw install was also exporting?

NikoV6 wrote: ↑Mon Jan 16, 2023 11:44 am So, if I invited an MCS approved installer to add a small say 3kw array on my garden shed for example, was issued the MCS certificate and used that to get Octopus to agree SEG, how would they know my DIY 10Kw install was also exporting?

Thats how it can be done, or vice versa with an initial MCS install, then add some DIY after.

And before some one says its fraud, this is SEG we are talking about, not FITs. SEG has no subsidy and its completely up to suppliers how much they want to pay.

NikoV6 wrote: ↑Mon Jan 16, 2023 11:44 am So, if I invited an MCS approved installer to add a small say 3kw array on my garden shed for example, was issued the MCS certificate and used that to get Octopus to agree SEG, how would they know my DIY 10Kw install was also exporting?

Cerainly for my FIT scheme with Good Energy they have (or say they have) a credibility check so they know how much it is reasonable for me to generate given the size of my array and weather records e.g. this https://www.bearsbythesea.co.uk/wxsolar ... ?year=2022.

So I wouldn't bet on successfully claiming 4x what you have an MCS certificate for.

__

And its for FIT which has checks and balances as its subsidised.

SEG is totally different, no subsidy, suppliers will be happy for all you can supply them with for their offered price.

marshman wrote: ↑Tue Jan 17, 2023 5:26 pm
That is for generation. Several times I have had to submit a photo of the meter as my generation readings were "higher than expected". For export how can they know how much "self use" you have? and hence what your export should be?

There will be an upper bound baed on declared capacity with no self-consumption at all. Exceeding that by 3x might arouse suspicions.

nowty wrote: ↑Tue Jan 17, 2023 5:47 pm And its for FIT which has checks and balances as its subsidised.

SEG is totally different, no subsidy, suppliers will be happy for all you can supply them with for their offered price.

Yes I can believe that. Someone who has recently had panels installed under an LA communal scheme told me this morning that Octopus Agile will (supposing they eventually approve his application) pay him 15p/kWh, is that right? It is 3x what SP will pay me. OTOH they only charge me 11p at night.

For the 15p / kWh fixed Octopus SEG you need to be on a standard type tariff which can include E7.

But if on Go or IO you get a lot less (6p ?, I think).