The Kingdom’s Alfanar Group is aiming to be the first company to produce sustainable aviation fuel from waste at scale in the UK.

It is expected to confirm the investment into its Lighthouse Green Fuels Project, during Boris Johnson’s visit to the country.

The major new waste to fuel plant will create more than 700 jobs during construction which is due to kick-off next year.

Fuel generated at the new plant has the potential to produce 80% less greenhouse gas than its fossil fuel equivalent.

It will use gasification and Fischer-Tropsch technology to convert household and commercial waste into approximately 180m litres of SAF and naphtha.

The firm was previously awarded £2.4m by the UK Government as part of its Green Fuels, Green Skies competition to take forward the project.<

Today’s funding announcement follows a commitment last year by Saudi firm SABIC to invest up to £850m in reopening the ‘Cracker’ plant at Wilton and decarbonise their operations in the north east.

Tees Valley Mayor Ben Houchen said: “I’ve been working closely with Alfanar for a long time now and this absolutely fantastic news further cement our region as the global go-to place to develop ground-breaking green energy technology – delivering the cleaner, safer and healthier jobs of the future.

“Alfanar’s commitment to the region and its workers is fantastic to see, with hundreds of high-quality, well-paid jobs set to come for people right across Teesside, Darlington and Hartlepool as it plays its part in helping us become a clean energy powerhouse.”