People who are currently on a renewable energy course may agree with the view that more research needs to be carried out on a variety of different technologies.
While most investment in the UK goes into wind power, Dr John Constable, director of policy and research at the Renewable Energy Foundation, explained that much of the renewables sector is still in the research and development stage.
He said that as a result of this, more experimentation into the different forms of technology out there is desirable.
"Subsidy-induced deployment at scale in order to meet targets is likely to be technologically counterproductive, stunting invention and inhibiting innovation," Dr Constable said.
He added that the government needs to more realistic in its predictions for the growth of the sector as a whole.
His comments followed reports from the Pew Charitable Trusts that the UK now ranks 13th out of the G20 nations for investing in new technology, which may surprise those on a renewable energy course.
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