Cuts to renewable energy subsidies have been blamed for the closure of two solar energy firms, which have gone into administration within hours of each other.
Leicestershire-based Mark Group was bought by American PV developer SunEdison in July to enable it to sell directly to the UK. But yesterday Mark announced on its website that Deloitte had been appointed as administrators. The firm employed nearly 1,000 people.
Climate Energy, based in Croydon, put a notice on its website yesterday stating that FTI Consulting had taken over as administrators. Both companies also worked in energy efficiency, which has also suffered budget cuts.
In a statement, Mark Group said that a plan to turn the business around had focused on solar energy, but that the government's recent policy announcements mean this is no longer viable.
Bill Rumble, Mark Group's chief commercial officer, told local paper the Leicestershire Mercury: "Recent changes to government policy on energy efficiency put a lot of pressure on the business."
The closures come just days after the Solar Trade Association warned that up to 27,000 of the 35,000 jobs in the solar industry were at risk after the government's decision to cut to the feed-in tariff for solar energy by 87%.
In the last month, the government's policy on renewables has come under fire from Lord Deben, chair of the Committee on Climate Change; former US vice-president Al Gore; and EY. The financial consultants said the renewables industry was enduring "death by a thousand cuts".
Energy secretary Amber Rudd told the Conservative party conference this week: "I support cutting subsidies not because I am an anti-green Conservative, but because I am a proud green Conservative, on the side of the consumer."
