Rotherham jobs at risk as solar panel industry reels

Building firm Carillion has 4,500 of its energy services workforce on 90 days notice of redundancy, including office staff at its depot in Temple Close, Templeborough.

Carillion bought the energy services specialist EAGA seven months ago to cash in on the Government’s green agenda, but the Geed-In tariff, a subsidy paid for power from solar panels, is being slashed from next Monday because of fall in the price of the panels.

Energy secretary Chris Huhne said the cheaper cost meant householders were making a “frankly luscious” rate of return, but experts predict that between 11,000 and 25,000 jobs nationally have been put at risk.