ENERGIMIDT - "Sunset" has consequences in Energimidt
Another adaptation of the legislation in the photovoltaic sector means that Energimidt has to say goodbye to 23 employees.
Denmark's fourth-largest energy company has to lay off 23 employees to adapt the company for the changing market conditions and limited business opportunities as a result of last week's government intervention and prolonged uncertainty about the framework conditions in the photovoltaic sector.
"Rules of the game in the photovoltaic sector have changed again. It creates even more uncertainty among both private and corporate clients and naturally also affect our capacity to create business results. We have big ambitions to sell sustainable solutions to the Danes, but when it comes to solar cells, it must obviously be uphill", says Mr. Holger Blok, CEO of EnergiMidt.
2012 will be remembered as the year when solar cells became available for the normal consumer. Approximately 70.000 Danish households have installed their own power plant on the roof and Energimidt delivered almost 5% of them. The central Jutland energy company has solar cells in its port-folio since the early '90s and decided to expand the business in order to meet demand.
"We hired last year more than 110 new employees in Energimidt. Almost half of them had already some experience in the solar cell business. Of course it is always sad to have to say goodbye to competent colleagues, but the fact that we were able to limit the number to 23, must be taken as a clear indication that we will continue", emphasizes Holger Blok.
"We want to participate in the develop of the society in our market areas, also in the future but unfortunately we are not adequately able to influence the political decisions that have as objective to limit the spread of solar cells", explains Holger Blok, as he describes the recent breakdown, via a rationing of 20 MW per year, which put severe limitations on the number of new solar plants.
"We have to disappoint a large number of customers who have been reluctant while we tried to clarify the rules in this area. Unfortunately, it is still unclear what the impact will be on both individuals and businesses, and the impact of the political non-decision is that the solarcell maket has vanished, whic is a dramatic situation", says Holger Blok.
The CEO of EnergiMidt thinks that solar cells will keep its central role in the sustainable society of tomorrow:
"We believe that there are still opportunities in the photovoltaic sector - also within the new regulatory framework, but it will be a big challenge to succeed with good and customer-friendly solutions in a time of so much political turbulence", concludes Holger Blok.