Prime minister Boris Johnson has announced tech unicorn Octopus Energy will be creating a new technology hub in Manchester.
The energy company will also open up sites in London, Brighton, Warwick and Leicester and create 1,000 new jobs, doubling its existing workforce by 2021.
The tech hub in Manchester, which will also be a data science and artificial intelligence centre, will be where the company develops smart grid technologies that will give customers access to cheaper renewable energy.