Australia's peak renewable energy body, the Clean Energy Council, has welcomed negotiations that will salvage $100 million for the Solar Flagships Program, which was to be redirected to the Gillard Government's flood program.

Under the government's original announcement at the end of January, $250 million was to be transferred from Solar Flagships to the flood program, with $60 million cut altogether and the rest to be returned in the later years of the program.

Clean Energy Council Chief Executive Matthew Warren thanked The Greens for their determined negotiation to curb the impact of the original announcement on the solar industry. He also thanked the government for listening to the concerns of the sector and supporting a more reasonable outcome.

"Australians want action on climate change and cheaper renewable energy and we are glad to see $100 million being returned to this important clean energy initiative," he said.

"The significant investment by the government in this program will help to make large-scale solar power more affordable over time, create new jobs and greatly assist with the development of this industry.

"We obviously support a relief program for communities hit hard by the recent floods, but channelling money away from a key climate change program such as Solar Flagships was not an appropriate way to fund it.

"We also welcome the news of the establishment of a solar industry round table to develop long-term policy for large scale solar in Australia. I would also like to thank community campaigners GetUp! for their efforts in helping to give this issue some additional media attention," Mr Warren said.

The Clean Energy Council has been developing a roadmap to guide the development of a long term and vibrant large scale solar industry in Australia and looks forward to working with Government to ensure the necessary support.

"Currently the largest solar power station is a 4 MW solar thermal facility at Liddell in NSW, which is dwarfed by the huge solar power plants being installed in Spain and the United States. Australia has some of the best solar energy in the world and we should be harnessing it better," Mr Warren said.