AES Solar is celebrating its commitment to quality services and products demonstrated through three 10-year milestones in accreditation with Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS) and the International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO).
Having recently passed our tenth year of having MCS service accreditation and ISO 9001, with an additional 10-year MCS product certification fast approaching. These all recognise a continued and consistent approach to quality management and production systems.
MCS exists to show that renewable energy providers adhere to a nationally recognised standard, in our case, the installation of solar PV and solar thermal panels.
Nationally-recognised standard
This provides confidence in our quality workmanship, documentation, management of staff on site and care of customer property to name a few. This also provides confidence in our ability to forecast accurate energy provision.
It has become increasingly important that recognition from MCS is received to ensure customers are able to benefit from payments such as the Feed-in Tariff or interest free loans.
In order to uphold this high level of standard we are inspected annually and subjected to a rigorous review including visits to customer sites.
AES Solar is also coming up to its tenth year of MCS product accreditation for its solar thermal panels, manufactured on-site in Forres. This accreditation is not automatically awarded with the above accreditation and involves a separate investigation by MCS agents.
ISO 9001 and ISO 14001
Alongside this MCS accreditation AES Solar has also held ISO 9001 for the past decade. Like MCS, it provides a set of requirements that gives confidence in the quality of products and services, ensuring they meet customer needs and expectations and comply with regulations.
AES Solar has also recently received its ISO 14001, having held the accreditation for more than a year. ISO 14001 sets equally demanding standards for environmental management. Together with ISO 9001, they are the world’s most recognised quality management standards.
The 10-year milestone comes as AES Solar celebrates its 40th year in business.
Technical director Campbell MacLennan said: “Ten years ago, we specialised in producing solar thermal panels, and exported them all over the world.
“It was important for us to be recognised for our quality in product and procedure, and we have maintained this standard throughout the last ten years. Despite a marketplace shift to PV due to government incentives, we predict a new demand for solar thermal as efficiency and cost improves.
“None of that changes our commitment to excellence and the importance on quality product and service, having had these accreditations in place now for ten years.”
‘As well as these long standing certifications, AES Solar is also committed to upholding vigorous standards elsewhere, holding accreditations for Investors In People, Investors in Young People, Cycle Scheme and the Childcare Scheme.