While green innovation abounds across the pond, investors are hesitant to throw their weight behind the sustainability revolution. Some of Britain’s best and brightest may head to U.S. shores. 

Dan Ilett is the editor of Greenbang, an environmental science and tech tracker. He says the trend is observable and cites the publication’s index of green-tech startups for 2008.

While initial start-up capital has been relatively easy for young companies to attain, the money crunch hits companies when they move products from the prototype phase to larger production. That said, innovation is booming in the face of the Britain’s looming deadline requiring a 30 percent reduction of carbon emissions by 2020. 

Greenbang points the finger at risk-averse investors. While it seems more private funding in the green sector would only help the overall picture, the Brits' hesitance is understandable. The pound sterling has remained remarkably strong despite a steady decline in home values, and savings interest rates are well above U.S. rates.  

Americans, on the other hand, are seeking new ways to keep their recently inflating dollars working for them, especially with taxpayer-funded mortgage bailouts on the horizon.