This report examines trends in government support for university, research foundation and corporate research in solar energy, with special emphasis on university developments particularly in the USA but also in Canada, China, Japan, the UK, Israel, the EEC and other locales.The study looks closely at the academic and commercial activity of key universities in this sector including but not limited to: Stanford, Georgia Tech, MIT, the University of Arizona, South China University of Technology, Wuhan University of Technology, Kyoto University, University of Tokyo, Frieberg University, Oxford University, University of New South Wales, University of Toronto, Seoul National University, Hebrew University of Jerusalem and many others. The study charts trends in grant support from leading US Government funding agencies such as the Department of Energy, the National Science Foundation, the Department of Defense and others. It take a close look at the role in solar energy development of US Federal programs to enable small business technology development. In addition, the role of government funding in China, Germany, Japan and elsewhere.The study helps its readers to answer questions such as: which universities are the leaders in solar energy research? Where is their research support coming from? With whom are they cooperating? What are their plans for the future? How are they interfacing with industry? What spin offs, joint ventures, licenses and patents have resulted from their efforts?