Renewables
Safety: use a registered electrician, for example one registered with a competent person scheme such as NICEIC or NAPIT, for electrical installation work. Do not remove covers or open electrical equipment yourself.
Explore renewables in plain English, with practical context, common distinctions and questions to ask before work starts.
Start with the entries below. They are part of a growing reference library, not an exhaustive technical specification or a substitute for specialist assessment.
- Air source heat pump
- An air source heat pump uses electricity to move heat from outside air into a building. In an air-to-water system it supplies water-based heating and usually a hot water cylinder. An air-to-air system distributes warmth through indoor air units. These arrangements meet different needs and should not be treated as identical products.
- Battery storage
- Battery storage stores electricity for later use. A domestic system includes more than battery cells: controls, electrical conversion, protection and installation location all affect how it operates.
- Getting into solar installation
- Solar photovoltaic installation brings together roof work, electrical installation, design and commissioning. A team may contain different specialists. Entry routes must distinguish mounting panels from electrical connection and verification, rather than suggest that a short product course gives a novice every skill needed for a complete installation.
- MCS certification
- MCS certification is a scheme for relevant small-scale renewable-energy products and installation businesses. Installer certification, product listing and the certificate for an individual installation are different checks. MCS is not a universal statutory licence or a guarantee that every renewable project receives a grant or achieves identical savings.
- Solar photovoltaic (PV)
- Solar photovoltaic equipment converts daylight into electricity. A typical building installation includes modules, electrical wiring, an inverter and connection equipment, with storage optional rather than automatic.
- Solar PV installation
- Solar photovoltaic installation fits equipment that converts daylight into electricity for use in a property or export to the network. A typical system includes panels, mounting, DC wiring, an inverter and electrical protection. Solar PV generates electricity; solar thermal collectors heat a fluid and are a different technology.
Last editorial check: 8 November 2026.
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