Doubts surface over future of Australia's Solar Flagships

Areva was one of the round-one Solar Flagships winners

The future of Australia’s A$1.5bn ($1.54bn) Solar Flagships funding programme is in doubt because of policy changes by the existing government – and a pledge by the nation’s opposition to ditch the scheme altogether if it takes power.

Australia’s Labor government had previously said a second selection round for Solar Flagships support – which part-backs major projects with federal cash – would be held in 2013/14, following a review of the first tranche of funding which was allocated in June.

But it now refuses to say whether or not this will happen, and will leave the board of the newly-created Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) to decide the fate of about A$730m not yet allocated under the scheme.

ARENA, which was set up to manage a total $1.7bn of…

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