Solar and storage, certified properly.
MCS certified solar PV and battery storage across Sheffield. Certification matters because it’s what makes your installation eligible for export payments — not every installer can issue it.
Why MCS certification matters
MCS is the certification scheme for small-scale renewable installations. The practical consequence for you is straightforward: energy suppliers require an MCS certificate before they’ll pay you for the electricity you export under the Smart Export Guarantee. An uncertified installation can be perfectly safe and still leave you unable to claim.
ElectriVolt is MCS certified, so the certificate is issued as part of the job rather than being something you have to chase.
What actually determines your generation
Panel brand matters far less than people expect. What moves the numbers is roof orientation, pitch, and shading.
- Orientation. South is best; east-west splits generation across the morning and evening, which often suits a household’s actual usage better than a south-facing peak at midday when nobody’s in.
- Shading. A chimney, a tree or a neighbouring roof can disproportionately affect a string of panels. Optimisers or micro-inverters mitigate it at extra cost — worth it where shade is genuinely unavoidable, wasted money where it isn’t.
- Roof condition. Panels last decades. If the roof needs work in the next few years, do that first — removing and refitting an array is an avoidable cost.
Battery storage
A battery doesn’t generate anything; it moves when you use what you’ve generated. Solar produces most in the middle of the day, and most households use most in the evening. Storage closes that gap.
It’s also useful without solar: on a time-of-use tariff you can charge overnight at the cheap rate and run the house on it during the expensive part of the day. Batteries can be retrofitted to an existing array, so it’s a reasonable second phase rather than something you must decide on day one.
Sizing matters more than capacity headlines. An oversized battery you never fully cycle is money sat on a wall. We size it against your actual consumption rather than the biggest unit that fits.
Pairing with an EV
Solar, storage and an EV charger work well together, but only if the supply supports the combined load and the charger can be told when to draw. That’s a load calculation and a controls question, not just three separate installations — worth planning as one piece of work if you’re heading that way. Smart controls are what tie it together.
What the process looks like
A survey of the roof and your supply, an honest generation estimate for your specific roof rather than a national average, then a written quote. Installation includes the electrical work, the isolation and protection, commissioning, and the MCS certificate along with the paperwork you’ll need for your supplier.
Things people ask
Do I need MCS certification?
You need it if you want to be paid for exported electricity under the Smart Export Guarantee — suppliers require the certificate. ElectriVolt is MCS certified, so it’s issued with the installation.
Is my roof suitable?
Orientation, pitch and shading decide it far more than the panels do. South is ideal but east-west often matches household usage better. We survey and give a generation estimate for your roof specifically.
Is a battery worth adding?
It depends on when you use electricity. If most of your usage is in the evening, storage lets you use what you generated at midday. On a time-of-use tariff it can pay off even without solar. It can also be retrofitted later.
Can it charge my car?
Yes, with the right controls — charging scheduled to when you’re generating or when the rate is cheapest. The supply needs checking for the combined load first, which is part of the survey.
