UK secures £1.3bn private clean-energy and AI investment

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced a series of major private investments totaling 1.3 billion pounds into the UK’s clean energy and artificial intelligence sectors during the G7 summit in France. The commitments from French and Indian firms are expected to create more than 1,300 high-skilled jobs, primarily in the cities of Manchester, Leeds, and Birmingham.

The largest investment comes from the French private equity firm InfraVia, which has pledged 1 billion pounds. This capital is earmarked for a pipeline of battery storage projects and a flexible energy platform across the UK, infrastructure designed to stabilize the electrical grid and ensure supply when renewable energy generation fluctuates. Another major commitment, over 300 million pounds, is from Atri Energy Transition. That firm will also focus on large-scale battery storage and advanced manufacturing, supporting more than 100 jobs.

In the technology sector, Indian firm Hexaware Technologies has committed 25 million pounds to expand its UK operations. The company plans to grow its work in AI, digital services, and quantum technologies, which it says will create approximately 1,200 jobs.