COUNCIL funding of £10 million that was earmarked for solar power schemes is set to be reinvested in other renewable energy projects.

The council last year agreed to spend £15 million on solar schemes including a Kernow Solar Farm on land next to Newquay Airport.

However, the plan relied on the Government's Feed-in Tariff (FiT), which provided generous payments for solar photovoltaic (PV) schemes.

When the Government decided to slash the amount paid to large-scale schemes it meant the solar farm was no longer financially viable.

As a result the council decided to use the funding for smaller solar projects, including panels on schools and council buildings – but faced a shorter timescale after the Government brought forward the deadline for work to be completed in order to qualify for FiT at the most profitable level.

With funding still remaining from the programme, the council's Cabinet has now decided it should be retained to invest in other forms of renewable energy, not just solar power.

However, a court ruling last week led to the FiT cut-off date being pushed back to the beginning of March, so more solar schemes may be introduced before then.

Julian German, Cabinet member for the environment, said the small-scale schemes already installed by the council generated energy equivalent to that consumed by 800 homes and would save it £500,000 a year.