In the past four financial years total funding in excess of £2.8 million has been directed by Government Departments and agencies at projects investigating alternative energy sources. This excludes consideration of higher education research funding provided to universities as such funding is not directed towards specific areas of investigation.
From April 2006 these financial resources have been augmented by the £59.2 million Environment and Renewable Energy Fund which has a significant element devoted to renewables related research and demonstration.