UK solar continues to be significantly impacted by the new feed-in tariff regime and this change in policy has been hardest felt within installation businesses. This week saw the collapse of Solarlec, a prominent installation business with offices in Burnley, Exeter and Carlisle.
The business entered into liquidation late last week and as many as 170 jobs could be lost as a result – up to 120 permanent positions from its three offices and as many as 50 self-employed contractors conducting surveys, audits and installations.
Employees were informed of their fate last Thursday, yet the Department of Energy and Climate Change would not be drawn on individual cases of job losses and instead commented broadly on the domestic solar industry as a whole.
Meanwhile Lark Energy managing director Jo Wall discussed with Solar Power Portal how the company has been on a recruitment drive, bringing in a number of mechanical engineers as it looks to diversify into other technologies as the UK’s large-scale solar market retracts.
The impending closure of the Renewables Obligation has meant opportunities have dwindled and, as a result, Lark is to concentrate its efforts on more gas generation plants, developments overseas and its own ICP business which it has established in the last six months.
Lark Energy recently said goodbye to industry stalwart Jonathan Selwyn, who departed after more than six years as its managing director.
Another UK solar stalwart to have stood down from their position in recent weeks is British Solar Renewables’ Angus Macdonald. Rumours of upheaval at BSR have circulated in recent weeks and while the company has refuted them, it did confirm last week that Macdonald had stood down from his position as the firm’s managing director. He will however still be involved in the company’s direction from his position on the board.
Elsewhere Quintas Energy is seeking a new head of asset management for its UK portfolio, which will be based out of the firm’s Canary Wharf office. More details of the post, and how to apply, can be found here.