Willis Sustainable Fuels UK Limited (WSF), a subsidiary of Willis Lease Finance Corporation (NASDAQ: WLFC), and the Green Finance Institute (GFI), an independent adviser to governments and investors, have launched a Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) Project Accelerator. The initiative aims to advance WSF’s flagship SAF project at Wilton International in Teesside to Final Investment Decision (FID) and create a repeatable model for financing new UK-based transition projects.
As of early 2025, the UK’s SAF mandate requires an increasing share of sustainable aviation fuel in the national jet fuel supply, rising to 10% by 2030 and 22% by 2040. This mandate strengthens the economic, energy-security, and innovation case for expanding domestic SAF production. While the policy offers long-term demand certainty, challenges remain in securing bankable conditions for developers.
WSF’s Teesside project is among the UK’s most advanced second-generation SAF developments, using proven technology to convert waste into sustainable jet fuel. The facility aims to produce 14,000 tonnes of SAF annually, supporting national energy security by cutting reliance on imported fuels and creating new green-industry jobs in the Northeast. The project has received £7.6 million across two rounds of the UK Government’s Advanced Fuels Fund.
However, before committing capital in this emerging sector, financiers must address risks related to technology performance, feedstock supply, and price or revenue certainty. Although the UK mandate offers a stable long-term demand signal, developers still require a mix of public and private de-risking mechanisms to satisfy investors.
GFI, which has helped mobilise £77 billion in committed capital for the energy transition and played a key role in shaping the UK’s SAF mandate, will focus its SAF programme on enabling leading projects to reach FID in 2026. The new accelerator is designed to remove financing obstacles and develop solutions that attract private-sector investment into pioneering SAF infrastructure.
The accelerator’s key goals include:
- Creating innovative financing and risk-mitigation approaches for SAF infrastructure.
- Identifying regulatory and financial gaps that must be addressed for advanced SAF projects to reach FID and achieve volumes aligned with the UK mandate.
- Bringing together public- and private-sector stakeholders to build solutions that close bankability gaps.
- Establishing a replicable model for converting policy ambitions into investable, built clean-energy infrastructure as several UK projects approach FID in the next year.
“This partnership with GFI is a crucial step in proving the commercial viability of SAF projects in the UK,” said Dr. Amy Ruddock, Director of Willis Sustainable Fuels. “Our goal is to develop a financing blueprint that accelerates the shift to low-carbon aviation.”
Dr. Rhian-Mari Thomas, CEO of GFI, added: “Our work with WSF shows how value-chain collaboration can unlock investment for innovative technologies. Through this accelerator, we aim to scale UK SAF production and support the country’s ambitions for a homegrown SAF industry.”
Both organisations will also work together to share best practices and insights from the accelerator, helping to strengthen awareness of SAF financing solutions across the UK’s transition finance landscape.
