Small wind turbines and micro-hydro systems have been the anomaly in the MCS system since the feed-in tariff was introduced in April last year. For an installation to be eligible for the financial incentive both products and installers must be accredited by the Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS).

However, when the scheme was introduced only a handful of wind turbines had been accredited, and there were no accredited installers or products for micro hydro (smaller than 50kW).

The answer to both problems was a transitional list of products (and installers for hydro) that would qualify for the feed-in tariff. In the case of wind turbines, this list closed at the beginning of January, and there are now six models of small wind turbine eligible:

Evance R9000
Gaia Wind 133 - 11kW
Proven P35 [suspended pending investigation of failures 21/9/11]
Proven P35-2 [suspended pending investigation of failures 21/9/11]
Skystream 3.7 and
Skystream Marine 3.7

Micro-hydro remains an anomaly. When the feed-in tariff was introduced last year there were no MCS accredited products, for the simple reason that there were no agreed standards for the micro-hydro turbines to be accredited against. There weren't standards for installers either.

Things have progressed since then, as draft 1.7 of the product certification scheme requirements were issued by in December 2010, and there are now 15 installers and 11 turbines on the transition lists. The micro-hydro association website is the best place I've found to keep an eye on developments.

Photo by John Two Persons Benedick

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