Commentators generally welcomed the new body as likely to make a positive contribution in the efforts to minimise climate change.
[2] At the same time, they pointed to the slow pace of government action in promoting energy conservation and implementing existing low-carbon technologies,[3] compared to progress in a number of other European countries.
When establishing the ETI, the government expected the separate Energy Research Partnership [5] to raise matching funding from commercial organisations.
Five objectives were set for the institute: The ETI describes as its vision: "Affordable, secure, sustainable energy for present and future generations."
As of 2014, the ETI states[6] that typically it supports projects that: At the same time, the institute focuses on a mix of technologies to increase security of supply, and solutions to address fuel poverty.