Federal Environment Minister Greg Hunt pledged the re-funding of a half-billion-dollar solar roof scheme in the election run-up, but now appears to have found just $2 million to pay for it.

Mr Hunt has made rapid backward steps since November last year, when he said the Coalition was committed to a $500 million “one million solar roofs” program, which he described as a “shining beacon” of the Abbott government’s Direct Action climate policy.

He said another $50 million would be given to the solar towns program and $50 million to solar schools too.

“Each of these three new programs is being prepared for implementation and will commence in the 2014-15 financial year,” he said.

But it appears none of these shining beacons were approved by LNP leader Tony Abbott or anyone else in charge of decision-making, leaving Mr Hunt ultimately forced to abandon all but $2 million of the $600 million worth of promises.

The latest budget papers have included nothing for solar roofs or for solar schools, though about $2.1 million was found for the solar towns policy.

As with several new budgetary measures, experts say the impacts will hit the poor.

Kane Thornton, deputy chief executive of the Clean Energy Council, which hosted Mr Hunt for its annual meeting in which he made the $500 million policy pledge, has told Fairfax Media that it could have been great.

“The million solar roofs program was a federal government election commitment, and it’s disappointing to see it abandoned before it had even begun,” he said.

“It is a blow to low-income households.”

Mr Thornton said it would hit the manufacturing jobs which have been “created by the solar water heating industry”.

There is little positivity in the solar industry outlook, with a leading opponent of the carbon tax and related renewable investment – Mr Dick Warburton - now being appointed to lead the Abbott government’s renewable energy target review.