RISHI Sunak has announced that Teesside will receive a share of £800m for a clean energy project that is set to bring thousands of jobs to the region.

Net Zero Teesside will see the creation of the UK’s first decarbonised industrial cluster using carbon capture, utilisation and storage, adding half a billion pounds into the regional economy and boost the wider UK economy by £3.2billion.

The project has the potential to capture six million tonnes of CO2 emissions annually, the equivalent annual energy use of two million UK homes and safely store it under the North Sea.

The project, which is expected to be up and running in 2025, would be the first major development to be based on the South Tees Development Corporation site.

Tees Valley Mayor Ben Houchen said: “I am delighted that Rishi has announced Teesside will be one of the locations to receive a share of £800m for carbon capture and storage.

"It shows not only that the Government is taking seriously the clean jobs of the future, but they are realising that Teesside is the best place for them.

“This world-leading industrial-scale decarbonisation project will safeguard and create thousands of good quality well paid jobs for local people.

"It will act as a beacon for new technologies and further investment."