American President Barack Obama has announced the Department of Energy will invest nearly $2 billion in two US solar companies.

The American President Barack Obama has announced the Department of Energy is to award nearly $2 billion (£1.4 billion) to two solar companies in a bid to aid both economic and energy recovery.


Abengoa Solar has agreed to build "one of the largest solar plants in the world" in Arizona, creating 1,600 construction jobs.


On completion, the plant will provide enough clean energy to power 70,000 homes, according to President Obama.


Abound Solar Manufacturing is building two new plants, one in Colorado and one in Indiana.


The White House says these projects will create more than 2,000 construction jobs and over 1,500 permanent jobs as the plants produce "millions of state-of-the-art solar panels each year".