Berlin-based solar startup Enpal shuts down entire Hamburg site, over 80 employees to leave

Enpal had only announced a strategic realignment in June. Source: picture alliance/dts-Agentur

The Berlin-based solar startup Enpal is once again streamlining its workforce. According to information from WELT, the company is dissolving its location in Hamburg. Employees were informed of the decision on Tuesday morning during an all-hands meeting with management, the location manager, and the HR manager.

Between 83 and 85 employees are affected. The Hamburg location is primarily a sales-oriented unit, organized similarly to a call center. It employs staff who sell photovoltaic systems as well as teams focused on selling heat pumps.

Enpal to Support Affected Employees

A company spokesperson told WELT:

"We informed the employees at our sales location in Hamburg this morning that we are closing the location and focusing on our core sales locations in Munich, Essen, and Berlin, which we are simultaneously strengthening with this decision. We are doing our utmost to support our Hamburg colleagues in this difficult time and help with the transition. We thank our Hamburg colleagues for their work and their commitment to Enpal."

The measure appears to be part of the strategic realignment that Enpal announced in June. At that time, the company stated it wanted to grow profitably in the future—including through the use of artificial intelligence—and drive forward the expansion of platforms and the partner business.

Previous Layoffs in March

The energy company had already laid off nearly 100 employees in March of this year. At that time, customer service at the Berlin location was affected. Enpal dissolved the entire department, and the responsible management level also had to leave. WELT reported that the layoffs came as a complete surprise to employees, and that Enpal had simultaneously already built up a new department.

Works Council Controversy

A month earlier, the solar startup had once again come under criticism. The background was an attempt to establish a works council at the Berlin location, which led to bizarre scenes. When the founding effort failed, some Enpal employees celebrated exuberantly during the meeting, singing: "You can go home, you can go home…" Meanwhile, the initiators and union representatives stood on the stage.

Company Background

Enpal is one of Germany's most valuable startups. In its last financing round, the company was valued at €2.3 billion. Enpal became a so-called unicorn—a startup with a valuation of one billion euros—back in 2021.

Today, the company reports having more than 130,000 customers who use either solar systems, battery storage, wallboxes, or heat pumps. Since its founding in 2017, Enpal has become the market leader for solar systems in Europe.

Max Skowronek is an investigative reporter covering economic topics for WELT and Business Insider. If you have tips, you can reach him confidentially by email or via the messenger services Threema (A4RHN528) and Signal (msk.26).