All-Energy & Dcarbonise 2023 – MCS on stand
23 May 2023
From 10-11 May, MCS exhibited, for the first time, at All-Energy & Dcarbonise 2023, the UK’s largest low-carbon energy event.
We spent the two days at Glasgow’s Scottish Events Campus (SEC), joining and chairing a range of panel discussions, speaking with contractors looking to become MCS certified, and showcasing the latest data on small-scale renewable installations for Scotland.
Trade events like All-Energy & Dcarbonise are a great opportunity to bring together people from across the low-carbon industry and share ideas and insights with the sector. Here are some of our highlights from the show.
Day 1: Wednesday 10 May
Our first day at All-Energy & Dcarbonise 2023 got off to a busy start! The day began with Ian, our CEO, joining a panel on ‘Workforce: Green Jobs, Skills and Training’, chaired by Tom Hopkinson, CEO of Taylor Hopkinson. The panel had some really insightful discussions surrounding how we can capture the imagination of young people to enter the renewable industry. Ian raised the important issue that ‘young people have a heightened awareness of the climate challenge, but don’t necessarily understand how to get into the sector’. Chris Clark, director of Emtec Energy, said that in order to change this there needs to be a dedicated training pathway to bring new talent into the sector. ‘We need specific qualifications for certain renewable technologies to professionalise the sector’.
Ian told the panel that, later this year, MCS will be launching the UK’s first Low Carbon Heating Technician Apprenticeship (LCHTA). The Apprenticeship will play a key role in bringing new talent into the green heating sector. The LCHTA has been handpicked by industry experts, in honour of His Majesty The Kings’ Coronation, to receive the official Coronation emblem as recognition that it’s the gold standard for green skills training.
In the afternoon, Ian chaired a panel on ‘Decarbonising the UK’s homes’. One of the main discussion points was consumer confusion surrounding low-carbon heating solutions. Ian stated that many homeowners are confused when it comes to heating their homes, don’t know where to start or what incentives are available to them. Pilar Rodriquez, who manages the Green Heat Installer Engagement Programme for Energy Saving Trust, described how we need to look for the government to provide guidance. ‘We need decarbonisation legislation and effective funding for homeowners to enable the transition to low-carbon technologies like heat pumps’. Nigel Donoghue, CEO of The IAA, agreed with this. ‘The industry needs to unlock the market to grow retrofit renewables at scale – and we need simpler public policy and better lending to support that growth’.
Left to right: Ian Rippin, CEO, MCS; Bean Beanland, Director of Growth and External Affairs, Heat Pump Federation; Girvin Gill, Policy Advisor, Sustainable Energy Association; Emily Rice, Scotland Policy Analyst, Solar Energy Scotland; Pilar Rodriguez, Programme Manager, Energy Saving Trust; Nigel Donohue, CEO, IAA.
Later in the afternoon, Ian had the opportunity to introduce a panel on The Future Leaders Programme: a nine-month, immersive experience, which equips participants with a unique set of leadership skills to tackle climate change related issues. Ian was joined by Richard Cartlidge, the director of the programme and Elaine Ellis, Skills Planning Manager at Skills Development Scotland. The Scottish Future Leaders Programme’s first cohort then took to the stage themselves to share their journey and the current project they’re working on, which focuses on accelerating our net zero transition by embracing active travel and all its benefits. It was inspiring to hear directly from the next generation of climate leaders and to see the interest in the programme that was generated from the audience. Richard said ‘we are indebted to MCS for providing the sponsorship for this cohort and giving momentum to such an important aspect of tackling climate change’.
Day 2: Thursday 11 May
Our second day was spent speaking with contractors on stand and showcasing the MCS Data Dashboard: our dynamic, online platform, which tracks the adoption and distribution of small-scale renewable installation across the UK in near-real-time. It was great to help contractors find out more about installation uptake in their local area, and we were overwhelmed with all the positive feedback. To use the MCS Data Dashboard, sign up for free here.
Over the two-day show, we spoke with hundreds of contractors and homeowners in unique situations. We discussed quality, training, certification, green skills and apprenticeships, using the MCS Data Dashboard for industry insights and plenty more. All-Energy is centred on industry collaboration, sharing ideas, innovative technologies and ways of working. It’s a unique chance to discuss the issues facing the low-carbon sector and how we can overcome them together. We’re already looking forward to doing it all again next year.
For more highlights from the show, check out the All-Energy & Dcarbonise website. Don’t forget to follow us on social media to keep up to date with our events as they happen.
