UK government awards 167 million stg funding for clean technology projects

LONDON (Reuters) - The British government said on Monday it will award 167 million pounds ($236 million) of funding to help accelerate clean technology and energy efficiency projects in heavy industries.

The funding is aimed at driving forward developments in technologies which will be needed to bring down greenhouse gas emissions to net zero by mid century. Those technolgies include hydrogen-fuel, carbon capture and storage and solutions to decarbonise heavy industries including manufacturing, steel, energy and waste.

The funding will be awarded to innovators, businesses, academics and heavy industry across Britain and help create 60,000 jobs, the government said.

"Today’s major cash boost – targeted at our most polluting industries - will encourage the rapid development of the technologies we need to reign in our emissions and transition to a green economy, one that reduces costs for business, boosts investment and create jobs," said energy minister Anne-Marie Trevelyan.

Some of the companies who will receive funding are Saint-Gobain Glass in north Yorskshire, Tate & Lyle in London and Phillips 66 in Humberside.

($1 = 0.7064 pounds)

(Reporting by Nina Chestney; Editing by Simon Cameron-Moore)