Carbon capture projects 'will support 2,000 jobs'

Critics say carbon capture is unproven at scale and does not stop polluting activities

Facilities to capture and store carbon emissions from polluting businesses will support 2,000 jobs in the north-east of England, the government has claimed.

In October, it pledged £22bn funding for "carbon capture clusters" on Teesside and Merseyside over the next 25 years.

The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero said contracts had now been signed for projects on Teesside, with construction expected to start in mid-2025 and a start-up scheduled for 2028.

While Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said the move would "kickstart growth", some green campaigners said the investment "extends the life of planet-heating oil and gas production".

Energy Secretary Ed Miliband said the investment "launches a new era for clean energy in Britain"

The projects on Teesside involve a collaboration between Net Zero Teesside Power (NZT Power) - a joint venture between energy firms Equinor, TotalEnergies and bp - and a group called Northern Endurance Partnership (NEP).

A spokesman for Equinor said the plan was to transport and store up to four million tonnes of captured carbon dioxide emissions per year from three Teesside projects.

There is an ambition for this to rise to an average of up to 23 million tonnes by 2035.