From 1 October 2026, important changes to the Electrotechnical Assessment Specification (EAS) take effect for defined low-carbon electrical work categories.
For electricians, electrical contractors and businesses working with EV charging, Solar PV and electrical energy storage systems, the key question is straightforward:
Can the individual carrying out the work evidence the qualifications, experience and competence relevant to that specific work category?
The updated EAS places defined competence requirements around additional work categories including EV charging equipment, Solar PV, electrical energy storage systems and micro-wind installations.
If you carry out this type of work, now is the time to review your existing qualifications and competence evidence rather than waiting until the October implementation date.
Relevant training for the October 2026 EAS changes
If your qualification review identifies a gap, the following Kelly Energy Training courses may be relevant to your work.
Inspection & Testing (2391-52) (C&G)
A Level 3 inspection and testing qualification for appropriately experienced electrical professionals.
View Inspection & Testing CourseEV Charger Installation (LCL)
Specialist Level 3 training for appropriately qualified electrical professionals working with EV charging equipment.
View EV Charger TrainingSolar PV Installation & Maintenance (LCL)
Specialist Level 3 training covering the installation, commissioning, maintenance and fault finding of small-scale Solar PV systems.
View Solar PV TrainingBattery Storage Systems (ESS) (LCL)
Specialist Level 3 electrical energy storage training for appropriately qualified electrical professionals.
View Battery Storage TrainingImportant: completing a course does not by itself demonstrate compliance with every EAS, certification or registration requirement. The qualification required depends on your existing electrical competence, role, work category and applicable scheme requirements.
Not sure where your current qualifications fit? Explore the Electrical Training Pathway →
What is the Electrotechnical Assessment Specification?
The Electrotechnical Assessment Specification, commonly shortened to EAS, is used by certification and registration bodies when assessing enterprises carrying out electrotechnical work.
It sets out competence requirements across areas including electrical installation work, Qualified Supervisor responsibilities, electrical inspection and testing and defined specialist work categories.
For electricians and electrical businesses, its importance is practical: the people carrying out work need to be able to demonstrate competence appropriate to the work they are responsible for.
The October 2026 implementation date is particularly significant because additional work categories for low-carbon technologies become part of the EAS competence framework.
What is changing from 1 October 2026?
From 1 October 2026, the EAS introduces defined work categories and mandatory technical competence requirements for:
- Electric vehicle charging equipment
- Solar photovoltaic systems
- Electrical energy storage systems
- Micro-wind turbines
The change increases the importance of being able to evidence that the person carrying out the work has suitable competence for that particular technology.
For an electrical business, that means looking beyond the qualifications held by the business owner or Qualified Supervisor. Employees, subcontractors and other individuals undertaking work within these categories also need to be considered as part of the competence picture.
Why individual competence matters
Electrical work is increasingly expanding beyond traditional installations into technologies such as EV charging, Solar PV and battery storage.
These systems introduce additional design, installation, commissioning and safety considerations. A general electrical background remains essential, but specialist work also requires competence relevant to the technology being installed.
The practical message: do not assume that being electrically qualified automatically demonstrates competence for every specialist work category.
Who should review their qualifications?
The impact will depend on the work you carry out and the certification or registration arrangements that apply to you.
Those who should review their position include:
- Electrical contractors
- Sole-trader electricians
- Qualified Supervisors
- Electrical inspectors
- EV charging installers
- Solar PV installers
- Battery storage installers
- Renewable energy contractors
- Businesses employing or subcontracting electricians
- Facilities management and building services organisations
If your business offers EV charging, Solar PV or battery storage work, reviewing the competence and qualification evidence of the individuals carrying out that work should be a priority.
What about periodic inspection and testing?
Periodic inspection and testing remains an important competence category within the EAS and should form part of any wider qualification review.
This includes work such as Electrical Installation Condition Reports (EICRs).
Electricians responsible for periodic inspection and testing should check that their qualification, experience and competence evidence is appropriate to the role and scope of work they undertake.
Relevant Level 3 inspection and testing qualifications may include City & Guilds 2391-series qualifications or other accepted equivalents, depending on the individual's route and role.
Kelly Energy Training course:
Low-carbon technology installations
Low-carbon technologies are at the centre of the October 2026 implementation.
If you install EV charging equipment, Solar PV or electrical energy storage systems, your qualification review should consider whether you can demonstrate specialist competence for the specific technology you work with.
These are specialist electrical qualifications rather than entry-level routes. Kelly Energy Training checks prerequisite evidence before registration for the EV, Solar PV and Battery Storage courses.
Planning EV, Solar PV or Battery Storage training?
Applicants normally need both:
- A current Level 3 Award in Requirements for Electrical Installations BS 7671 (18th Edition); and
- A recognised Level 3 electrotechnical qualification, apprenticeship, experienced-worker qualification or accepted equivalent.
A current ECS Gold Card in an accepted electrical occupation may also provide an eligible route, subject to qualification and evidence checks.
Level 3 electrical competence
The EAS Qualifications Guide maps accepted qualifications against different work categories. Your existing qualifications therefore need to be considered in the context of the work you actually undertake.
If you are still progressing towards qualified electrician status, specialist EV, Solar PV or Battery Storage training should not be treated as a substitute for the underlying electrotechnical qualification and occupational competence route.
Kelly Energy Training's electrical pathway explains how qualifications such as Level 2, Level 3, the 18th Edition, Initial Verification, workplace competence and AM2 fit into the wider electrician training route.
Explore the Electrical Training Pathway →
18th Edition and BS 7671
Current knowledge of the IET Wiring Regulations remains fundamental to electrical installation, design, inspection and testing work.
The current standard is BS 7671:2018+A4:2026. Electricians should make sure their technical knowledge reflects the current requirements relevant to their work.
What should electricians and electrical businesses do now?
Start with a simple review of the work you or your team currently undertake.
Ask:
- What electrical work do I currently carry out?
- Do I carry out periodic inspection and testing or EICRs?
- Do I install EV charging equipment?
- Do I install or maintain Solar PV?
- Do I install electrical energy storage systems?
- What qualifications do I hold for each area?
- Do those qualifications match my actual scope of work?
- Can I easily evidence my qualifications and experience?
- Are my technical knowledge and CPD records current?
- If I employ or subcontract others, have I reviewed their competence too?
Once you know where any gaps are, you can identify whether additional training or qualification evidence is needed.
With the implementation date approaching, it is sensible to review this early — particularly where specialist courses require existing qualifications to be checked before registration.
Unsure whether your qualifications match the work you carry out?
Kelly Energy Training can help you understand the training routes available across inspection and testing, EV charging, Solar PV, battery storage and wider electrical qualifications.
Contact Kelly Energy TrainingFrequently Asked Questions
Prepare now for the October 2026 EAS changes
The October 2026 EAS changes make specialist competence increasingly important for electricians and electrical businesses working with low-carbon technologies.
The right starting point is not automatically to book another course. It is to review the work you carry out, identify the qualifications and competence you can already evidence, and then address genuine gaps.
If EV charging, Solar PV, battery storage or inspection and testing form part of your work, Kelly Energy Training offers specialist electrical training that can support your continued professional development, subject to the relevant entry and industry requirements.
Speak to Kelly Energy Training about your training requirements →
