Willis Sustainable Fuels and Green Finance Institute Launch Accelerator to Advance UK’s Sustainable Aviation Fuel Infrastructure

(Green Finance Institute/Globe Newswire) Willis Sustainable Fuels UK Limited (“WSF”), a subsidiary of Willis Lease Finance Corporation (NASDAQ: WLFC) (“WLFC”) and the Green Finance Institute (“GFI”), an independent advisor to governments and investors, have announced a Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) Project Accelerator to bring WSF’s pioneering SAF project at Wilton International in Teesside to Final Investment Decision (FID) and establish a replicable blueprint for financing new homegrown transition projects.

Since the start of 2025, the UK’s SAF mandate requires increasing levels of SAF in the UK’s jet fuel supply to reach 10% in 2030 and 22% in 2040.1 Under the mandate, the economic, energy-security and innovation benefits of expanding domestic SAF production are compelling. This policy stability provides a strong, long-term demand signal to accelerate SAF growth, but the challenge remains in reaching bankability.

WSF’s Teesside project is one of the UK’s most advanced second-generation SAF projects, using existing, proven technology to make SAF from waste. Targeting 14,000 tonnes of production per year, the project supports national energy security, by reducing reliance on imported fuels and anchors new green-industry jobs in the Northeast, by converting mainly UK biomethane into next-generation jet fuel. This project has been funded £7.6 million through two rounds of the UK Government’s Advanced Fuels Fund.

Before committing capital to transactions in this nascent sector, financiers need to address risks including technology performance, feedstock, and price/revenue certainty. While the UK mandate provides strong long-term demand certainty, developers need to assemble a complex mix of public and private de-risking tools to meet these requirements.

With a track record of mobilising £77 billion in committed capital to drive the transition and as a key adviser in shaping the UK’s SAF mandate, GFI’s SAF programme will focus on helping leading projects reach FID in 2026. The “accelerator” platform is designed to remove financing barriers and develop solutions that attract private sector investment into pioneering projects.

“This partnership with the GFI is a vital step in demonstrating the commercial viability of SAF projects in the UK,” said Dr. Amy Ruddock, Director, Willis Sustainable Fuels. “Together, we aim to create a blueprint for financing solutions that will accelerate the transition to low-carbon aviation.”

“Our collaboration with WSF exemplifies how strategic partnerships across the value chain can unlock investment for innovative technologies,” said Dr. Rhian-Mari Thomas, CEO at GFI. “By launching this accelerator approach, we aim to scale SAF production to support the UK’s ambitions for a homegrown SAF industry.”

Both organisations will also collaborate on communicating best practice and lessons learned from this process to raise visibility for SAF financing solutions within the UK’s transition finance ecosystem.

Willis Lease Finance Corporation leases large and regional spare commercial aircraft engines, auxiliary power units and aircraft to airlines, aircraft engine manufacturers and maintenance, repair and overhaul providers worldwide. These leasing activities are integrated with various end-of-life solutions for engines and aviation materials provided through Willis Aeronautical Services, Inc. Additionally, through Willis Engine Repair Center®, Jet Centre by Willis, and Willis Aviation Services Limited, the Company’s service offerings include Part 145 engine maintenance, aircraft line and base maintenance, aircraft disassembly, parking and storage, airport FBO and ground and cargo handling services. Willis Sustainable Fuels intends to develop, build and operate projects to help decarbonize aviation.

Established in 2019, the Green Finance Institute (GFI) is an independent advisor to governments and investors. It is at the forefront of shaping how finance can be used to facilitate a real economy transition, by designing, testing and scaling financial solutions that enable capital to flow where it can deliver the greatest impact in the real economy.

Bridging the gap between committed capital and impactful solutions, the GFI delivers positive outcomes for climate and nature by aligning policy, development capital, and pipeline development. As a commercially focused philanthropic organisation working with governments and partnering with financial institutions, corporates, NGOs, policymakers, academics and civil society experts, the GFI has mobilised £77bn in committed capital over six years.

The GFI is headquartered in London and has a presence in eight countries including Belgium, Brazil, Denmark, Indonesia, the Philippines, Scotland, Singapore, and Spain, and its missions work in built environment, CDR, energy, transportation and nature.