EP14 – The Training Centre of the Future with Mark Allison (A121 Training)
Only Panels - Solar Installer ChatsShow Notes
We hijack The Renewables Podcast studio to sit down with Mark Allison — the force behind Apprentice 121, Powersonic, and one of the most connected voices in the UK electrical industry. We talk about the brand-new Apprentice 121 Training Centre in Driffield and what proper, hands-on renewables training should look like. In this episode: How Apprentice 121 grew into a national training movement
Why classroom-only solar courses miss the mark
FIT retrofits with batteries, smart metering & commissioning quirks
PAS guidance, large domestic storage & practical safety tips
Gateways are coming – Tesla, SIG Energy, EcoFlow & more
Battery recycling, packaging waste & sustainability
SolarEdge vs SIG, Victron everywhere & manufacturer pitfalls
College drops: giving back to train the next generation
Guest: Mark Allison – Apprentice 121 / Powersonic / The Renewables Podcast Hosts: Michael Stott & Dan Holliday – Only Panels – Solar Installer Chats 📅 Apprentice 121 Training Centre launch: 29 Oct 2025 🕖 New episodes every Wednesday 7 PM 🌐 onlypanels.com Follow, rate & share to support the installer community ⚡
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🎙️ Welcome to Only Panels – Solar Installer Chats, the podcast for solar PV professionals and enthusiasts.In this episode:🔹 Season 3 starts here! Back in the DMH office, Michael and Dan decompress after hosting the Only Panels podcast on the LONGi stand for all three days of Solar & Storage Live 2026 at the NEC, with 60+ guests across installers, manufacturers and industry bodies.🔹 Is plug-in solar really the story of the year? Michael and Dan's take, and why they're calling it "entry-level solar".🔹 Solar Skirt Eco and the new mechanical fixings: what's new, who it's for and where to get it.🔹 Anti-glare panels: Michael's call for the product of 2027, plus LONGi's Hi-MO X10 and X12, and self-extinguishing, non-combustible panels.🔹 Favourite guests, A121 Training's roof training, and what's next at Elex in Coventry.Shout out to LONGi for hosting us on their stand at Solar & Storage Live.Hosts: Michael Stott (East Renewables) & Dan Holliday (DMH Electrical and Renewables)👍 Like, subscribe & drop a comment: what's your product of 2027?📍 New episodes every week – subscribe so you don't miss out.🎧 Also available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts & all major platforms.👉 Join the conversation:YouTube: https://youtube.com/@OnlyPanelsPodcastSpotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6hK6YjzSti3iQrKDOuDXeaLinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/company/onlypanelsTikTok & Instagram: @onlypanels00:00 Is this the product of 2027?00:17 Hosting from the LONGi stand03:02 Plug-in solar and "entry-level solar"06:30 Solar Skirt clips and the new Solar Skirt Eco11:01 Anti-glare panels: Michael's product of 202714:18 Self-extinguishing, non-combustible panels15:46 Favourite guests and A121 Training roof training19:44 Elex Coventry and the pub quiz21:07 Welcome to season three#OnlyPanels #SolarAndStorageLive #LONGi #PlugInSolar #AntiGlarePanels #SolarSkirt #SolarInstallers #UKSolar