Scottish & Southern Energy will miss out on renewable energy subsidies worth more than half a billion pounds because it put in an order for equipment too early, according to a report in the Times.

The report cited the power company's chief executive Ian Marchant saying it was unfair that the Greater Gabbard wind farm, off Suffolk, would miss out on incentives announced in the Budget in April.

Projects qualify for subsidies if turbine order are placed between April 2009 and March 2010, but S&SE ordered its equipment a few months before the announcement, the paper said.

A spokesman for SSE confirmed the project would miss out on subsidies based on the current proposals but said talks with the British government were ongoing.

A decision has not been made, it's still in the consultation phase, he said. We're talking to the government about whether that would be the case.

A spokesman for the Department of Energy and Climate Change said it would take industry views into account in its consultation.

(Reporting by Laurence Fletcher)