Taxpayer faces ''hefty fine'' for not embracing sustainable construction

Posted by Andrew Marshall

British taxpayers could be forced to pay a ''hefty fine'' if the UK fails to meet its 2020 sustainable construction and renewable energy targets set out by the European Union (EU), according to an expert.

''If the UK is to avoid serious financial penalties from the EU then, without doubt, funding needs to be secured as a matter of urgency'', a spokesperson for The Renewable Energy Centre.co.uk said.

Her comments come in light of a report released this week by accountancy firm PricewaterhouseCoopers, which found that Britain''s offshore wind objective is likely to face a funding gap of £10 billion.

The representative added that it is ''essential'' that barriers holding back the development of both on and offshore wind resources are removed in order for the UK to meet its 2020 renewable energy target.

PricewaterhouseCoopers noted that Britain would need to secure £10 billion of additional funding for offshore wind developers by 2015 if the country is to meet its ten-year goal.