July 19, 2023 [Inside Media Limited]- Global aviation services group and aircraft leasing firm Willis Lease Finance Corporation has unveiled plans for a sustainable aviation fuel refinery in the North East.
The company, and its subsidiary Willis Sustainable Fuels (UK) Limited, wants to construct the commercial scale facility, which will convert feedstocks derived from industrial waste CO2 and green hydrogen produced from renewable electricity into aircraft fuel, on Teesside.
A planning application is set for submission in the coming weeks, with approval expected in months.
The plans build on the company’s growing relationship with Teesside International Airport where it has operated since 2019 and align with the Tees Valley Net Zero strategy and the UK government’s Ten Point Plan, Build Back Greener, and Jet Zero strategies.
Earlier this year, the business secured planning permission for a £25m facility at the airport which could create more than 200 jobs in the region.
Austin C. Willis, chief executive of WLFC, said: “Our pioneering SAF manufacturing project will directly support the global aviation industry’s ambitious goal of net-zero emissions by 2050, which represents a major, near-term step in the important effort to decarbonize aviation.
“As the first aviation leasing company to spearhead a SAF initiative of this magnitude, we are thrilled to be continuing our legacy as a leader and innovator in aviation.
“Building on our valued relationship with Teesside International Airport, we’re excited to partner with the supportive Tees Valley Combined Authority and other local stakeholders to continue to advance our plans toward the first Power-to-Liquid SAF refinery in Teesside.”
Tees Valley mayor Ben Houchen added: “Willis is already a great partner to the airport, with work under way to bring its £25m Aviation Village and Jet Centre to the site – creating hundreds of jobs. If we hadn’t have saved the airport, this would have passed us by – and it shows how both Teesside Airport and Willis are working for the whole of Teesside, Darlington and Hartlepool.”
“Decarbonisation is one of the biggest issues facing the aviation industry today. If we’re truly serious about becoming the UK’s clean energy powerhouse and growing Teesside Airport responsibly, SAF is an opportunity that we need to grab with both hands,” he added.
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