The Aquarea air source heat pump from Panasonic has gained accreditation as an approved technology under the Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS).
Aquarea is a series of air-to-water heat pumps with a claimed energy efficient performance (up to 78 per cent compared to electric heating), reliability and ease of installation. MCS accreditation applies to all models of the standard Panasonic Aquarea Mono-bloc heat pump.

Marc Diaz, UK country manager at Panasonic PHAAE, said. 'In view of the Government incentives and plans to boost the adoption of renewable technologies, MCS accreditation represents a significant milestone for homeowners and contractors. It ensures that Aquarea will meet the required eligibility criteria demanded by any Government-backed programme, such as the Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI), and, with its impressive, energy efficient performance alongside the other benefits it offers, we are confident that it will prove a very popular choice'.

MCS accreditation is determined by compliance with guidelines set by the Office of Fair Trading. These dictate that the product must be able to be used as an alternative or to supplement heating and energy systems, helping users to lower their carbon footprint and reduce fossil fuel reliance.

End users and installers selecting an MCS accredited technology, such as Panasonic's Aquarea, over a non-compliant equivalent will benefit significantly. They will be eligible to take advantage of incentives such as feed-in tariffs and support from schemes such as the Community Sustainability Energy Programme.