The latest research published by the Solar Trade Association (STA) and PwC has found that a third of solar jobs have been lost over the last 12 months, while a further 30% of solar firms have forecast staff cuts over the next year. The study surveyed 238 solar industry businesses which employ 3,665 staff between them now compared with 5,362 at the same time last year, which is a 32% fall. The analysis shows that four in 10 companies are left with no alternative but to diversify into other markets or completely exit the solar market to keep their businesses going. The survey also found that the number of job losses over the last 12 months could exceed 12,500, which is about a third of previous total employment in the sector. In the next year, solar deployment is expected to fall from the 1GW average of the last five years to fewer than 300MW in the next 12 month period, which is a fall of 75%. For quite some time the STA has been concerned with the UK’s lack of industrial strategy for the solar industry despite global energy investments being dominated more and more by solar power. Now, the UK government is allocating just 1% of new renewable energy project expenditure to solar power under the Feed-in Tariff. Therefore, the new Department of Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy represents a much welcomed chance to adopt a strategic approach to a relatively cheap and winning technology, according to the association. STA’s Head of External Affairs, Leonie Greene, said that the survey shows that the British solar industry has suffered damage and the government should act promptly to resolve this. Greene added: “We urge new ministers, rather than increase the tax burden of going solar, please reward investment with sensible solar tax breaks consistent with action on climate change. International experience of tax breaks is solid, and the industry is clearly behind this.”

Civil engineering contractors believe that growth years are now over, according to the first national poll since the EU referendum. According to the Civil Engineering Contractors Association’s (CECA) most recent quarterly workload trends survey, the sector’s boom period seems to be coming to an end as major projects stall. In the second quarter of this year, six out of 10 civil engineering subsectors reported a fall in workloads. Compared with a balance of over 20% reported in the first quarter, workloads increased for a net balance of just 2 percentage points; the lowest growth balance in three years. Alasdair Reisner, Chief Executive of CECA, said that these results are bad news for the UK economy and need to serve as a warning sign for policy makers. He said: “We know that infrastructure investment is a driver of economic growth. Given the recent disappointing economic forecasts following the Brexit vote, our figures show that the market is slowing just as the country needs it to speed up. “The new government can’t afford to sit on its hands. There are existing committed programmes of work where we need to see the delivery of schemes – now – if this situation is to be reversed.” Reisner also believes that unless the government is able to kick on and ensure more work for the construction industry, then a dramatic slowdown in growth is inevitable, which will spell trouble for the 200,000 workers in the sector, as well as bad news for the country on the whole. Earlier in the month, CECA said that new Prime Minister Theresa May must commit to infrastructure at the start of her tenure. Reisner commented: “The government must provide certainty on other elements of the country’s infrastructure investment pipeline. After three weeks of uncertainty, the new government must hit the ground running, and commit to a bold infrastructure agenda.”