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Category Archives: Interview

impact speaks to… Amy Hebert, CEO of Arcadia eFuels, on ramping up e-SAF

✈️🌍 Scaling e-SAF in Europe: Policy, Offtakes, and the Road to FID

We had the pleasure of sitting down with Amy Hebert, CEO of Copenhagen-based Arcadia eFuels, to discuss the company’s progress — and the hurdles — in scaling up its e‑SAF production plant in Denmark.

Arcadia eFuels is working to bring large-scale e-SAF to market as an active member of Project SkyPower, aiming for a Final Investment Decision (FID) by the end of 2025 and operations by 2030.

But the challenges are clear:
🔹 Bankable long-term offtakes remain elusive — the voluntary SAF market, while “nice,” isn’t enough to finance major projects.
🔹 The upcoming EU Sustainable Transport Investment Plan (STIP) could be a game‑changer, with price support for e‑SAF and measures to de‑risk investment.
🔹 Early‑stage funding and competitive green hydrogen incentives are critical — yet Europe lags behind the U.S. and UK in hydrogen support.
🔹 The EU is holding firm on its ReFuelEU mandates — a strong signal that e‑SAF will be part of aviation’s decarbonization pathway.

💬 As Amy Hebert puts it: “If we had a long-term offtake agreement in hand, we could be at FID pretty immediately after that.”

📽️👇 Watch the interview with Amy Hebert and read the full article by Eduardo Mariz Cortiñas, Senior Analyst and Sustainability Lead at Ishka: Aviation Finance, in our Insights 2025 report to learn why Europe’s path to large‑scale e‑SAF is technically feasible — but politically complex.

📄 Download impact’s “Insights 2025” report here.

#SustainableAviation #SustainableFinance #AviationFinance #GreenHydrogen #AviationSustainability #NetZero #SustainableInvestment #RenewableEnergy #SustainableAviationFuel

impact speaks to… Lahiru Ranasinghe, Director of Sustainability at easyJet

From transition to delivery: Lahiru Ranasinghe on steering easyJet’s decarbonization effort

impact sat down with Lahiru Ranasinghe, easyJet’s recently-promoted Director of Sustainability, who shared how the airline is shifting gear — from long-term planning to delivering tangible progress on its path toward Net Zero. Having led the development of easyJet’s Net Zero strategy, Lahiru now oversees delivery across all sustainability fronts — from flight operations and engineering to ground activities. The airlines’ aim is to build internal capabilities to progressively reduce its’ environmental impact.

🌍 With aircraft delivery delays still impacting the sector, easyJet continues to prioritize fuel-saving operational efficiencies across Europe, one of the world’s most complex airspace environments. But there’s a limit to what airlines can do alone — airspace modernization across Europe is essential to unlock 10% emissions reductions industry-wide.

🚀 Scaling SAF and Supporting Innovation
easyJet is actively meeting SAF mandates across its 30+ European bases, while also pushing for progress on eSAF policy as part of Project SkyPower. Long-term, the airline sees hydrogen as the only viable route to truly zero-carbon flight for its short-haul network — and is backing its development accordingly.

📉 Tracking emissions reduction
The airline uses emissions intensity (CO2 per RTK) as its main progress metric. easyJet also closely monitors peers’ sustainability efforts to benchmark its own, but sees the journey to Net Zero as an industry-wide challenge that requires collective progress.

💬 “We cannot afford to be one of the few heavy emitters left in the world when we get into the 2040s and 2050s,” Lahiru notes. “There’s a lot at stake.”

Stay tuned to read the whole article in impact’s “Insights 2025” to be published on July 14!

impact speaks to… Amy Ruddock, SVP Sustainable Aviation & Corporate Development at Willis Lease Finance Corporation

How can lessors align SAF with their leasing interests? SAF is essential to aviation’s path to decarbonisation – but supply isn’t scaling fast enough. Lessors can help change that.

In a recent interview, Eduardo Mariz, Senior Analyst & Sustainability Lead at Ishka, and Dr. Ulrike Ziegler, Managing Director of impact, spoke to Dr. Amy Ruddock, SVP of Sustainable Aviation at Willis Lease Finance Corporation (WLFC) about how lessors can play a bigger role in making SAF commercially viable. WLFC is leading by example, currently investing in a 14,000-ton-per-year SAF facility in the UK through Willis Sustainable Fuels.

The company’s first SAF production facility will be located near Teesside International Airport, where the UK plans to build its first SAF handling waterside terminal. WLFC’s facility will use Carbonshift FlexFeed – an innovative technology that is ultimately designed to produce power-to-liquid (PtL) fuel but can flexibly use bio-methane or green hydrogen as its input.

Among the key reasons for WLFC’s decision to invest in SAF production in the UK are:
1. Long-Term Industry Commitment:
WLFC sees sustainable aviation as critical to its long-term success and competitiveness
2. Favourable Regulatory Environment:
UK policies, including SAF mandates, revenue certainty mechanisms, and carbon reduction targets, provide market clarity and support investment

Why should lessors engage in SAF?
🔸 Helping de-risk SAF financing – Integrating SAF certificates into lease contracts could unlock bankable offtake agreements, a major hurdle for SAF developers
🔸 Gaining a competitive edge – Lessors acting as SAF offtakers can offer airlines better access, particularly in regions with limited supply
🔸 Adapting to an evolving aviation landscape – Expanding their role beyond leasing allows lessors to align with industry sustainability demands and regulatory shifts

What’s in it for lessors?
✅ Future-proof their business as sustainability regulations tighten
✅ A growing multi-billion-dollar market with rising demand
✅ Stronger airline partnerships by supporting decarbonisation goals

As Amy highlights: “Any investment in lowering carbon is a commercial investment too – it’s an investment in the future of the industry.” 

📣 Want to learn more about WLFC’s SAF investment? Stay tuned for our IMPACT Insights 2025 report – coming soon!

https://youtube.com/watch?v=KVDyRW1F4jo%3Fsi%3D6Puh3Xg98d45AZaN