Energy efficiency business goes bust with loss of 21 jobs

An energy efficiency products company has entered administration with the loss of 21 jobs.

Solarwall Ltd, based in York, ceased trading on March 11 and its workforce was made redundant. Rob Sadler and Dave Broadbent of Begbies Traynor in York were appointed as joint administrators.

Sue Lamb, director of Solarwall, said the company had struggled against radpily changing government policy towards energy efficiency since 1999.

After focusing on renewable technology products in 2015 to offset a decline in activity from energy suppliers on insulation and boilers, dramatic changes to feed-in tariffs from January this year “proved to be the final straw”.

She said: “We recently lost two not-for-profit organisations which work on fuel poverty alongside local authorities in Yorkshire and that had a further impact on our business.

“They have been hit with the same problems, a lack of a strong, consistent government policy on energy efficiency, knee jerk reactions and letting the energy suppliers control the targets set upon them for their energy company obligations.”

Begbie Traynor is currently marketing Solarwall’s brand and intellectual property assets. Mr Sadler said: “It is sad to see the demise of such a long-established York business and the loss of local jobs.

“Unfortunately, the spate of changes in government policy in the energy sector made it very difficult for Solarwall to forecast future work, leading to cash flow problems.”