LYON, France & IISALMI, Finland--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec 11, 2025--
ATOBA Energy, a leading sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) aggregation platform, and Flying Forest, a pioneering renewable fuel developer, today announced the signing of a Letter of Intent (LOI) for a long-term SAF offtake agreement. This strategic partnership will support Flying Forest's groundbreaking project in Finland while advancing ATOBA's mission to bridge the gap between SAF producers and airlines.
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Transforming Wood Waste into Clean Aviation Fuel
Flying Forest's innovative project, located in Iisalmi, Finland, will convert local wood waste into sustainable aviation fuel using advanced methanol-to-jet technology. The facility is designed to produce 200,000 tons of SAF annually, across three production lines - with potential expansion to nearby sites.
The project leverages Finland's abundant forestry residues, with Flying Forest securing agreements with local sawmills for up to 3.75 million tons of sawmill co-products and non-commercial round wood annually. This local feedstock strategy ensures supply security while supporting the circular economy by utilizing waste materials that would otherwise have limited commercial value.
Accelerating SAF Market Growth
“Scaling SAF requires innovative commercial models that work for both producers and end customers,” said Paul Groves, CEO of Flying Forest. “This collaboration with ATOBA Energy builds the aligned ecosystem we need to drive innovation, catalyze investment, and accelerate SAF deployment globally.”
The collaboration addresses a critical challenge in the SAF industry: the financial dilemma between producers needing stable long-term contracts to secure project financing and airlines seeking competitive, flexible pricing. ATOBA's aggregation model provides Flying Forest with bankable offtake commitments while offering airlines access to diversified SAF supply at competitive market rates.
"Flying Forest leading edge technology enables a cost efficient transformation of residues to Sustainable Aviation Fuel. By adding Flying Forest to our aggregation platform, we can offer airlines price competitiveness and stability while providing Flying Forest the long-term commitments they need to reach final investment decision" said Arnaud Namer, CEO of ATOBA Energy.
About ATOBA Energy
ATOBA is an intermediary aggregator of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) that is accelerating the energy transition in the aviation sector by resolving the financial dilemma between airlines and producers.
ATOBA offers long-term SAF contracts at optimized prices to airlines and fuel resellers. The company guarantees security and competitiveness to its partners through diversified supply sources and high-level expertise. ATOBA’s aggregation strategy also helps develop the SAF industry by providing producers with long-term purchase agreements that support their final investment decisions for production plants.
info@atoba.energy
About Flying Forest
Flying Forest is developing advanced renewable fuel projects using proven technologies and local feedstock sources. The company's Finland project benefits from strong government support, committed low-cost renewable electricity, and strategic partnerships with established engineering and construction firms. The first production line is expected to be operational by 2030.
ATOBA Energy and Flying Forest Sign Letter of Intent for Long Term Sustainable Aviation Fuel Offtake Agreement
GOMA, Congo (AP) — More than 400 civilians have been killed as the Rwanda-backed M23 armed group continues its offensive in Kivu province in eastern Congo, regional officials said late Wednesday, adding that Rwandan special forces were in the strategic city of Uvira.
M23’s latest offensive comes despite a U.S.-mediated peace agreement signed last week by the Congolese and Rwandan presidents in Washington. The accord didn’t include the rebel group, which is negotiating separately with Congo and agreed earlier this year to a ceasefire that both sides accuse the other of violating. However, it obliges Rwanda to halt support for armed groups and work to end hostilities.
“More than 413 civilians (have been) killed by bullets, grenades, and bombs, including many women, children, and young people” in localities between Uvira and Bukavu, the regional capital, the South Kivu government spokesperson said in a statement late Wednesday.
“According to the information gathered, the forces present in the city are composed of Rwandan special forces and some of their foreign mercenaries, operating in clear violation of the ceasefire as well as the Washington and Doha agreements, in total disregard of the commitments made," the statement added.
M23 said it had taken control of the strategic city of Uvira in eastern Congo on Wednesday afternoon, following a rapid offensive since the start of the month.
The announcement by M23 spokesperson Lawrence Kanyuka, posted on the social platform X, encouraged citizens who fled to return to their homes. Uvira is an important port city on the northern tip of Lake Tanganyika and is directly across from neighboring Burundi’s largest city, Bujumbura.
Congo, the U.S. and U.N. experts accuse Rwanda of backing M23, which had hundreds of members in 2021. Now, according to the U.N., the group has around 6,500 fighters.
While Rwanda denies that claim, it acknowledged last year that it has troops and missile systems in eastern Congo, allegedly to safeguard its security. U.N. experts estimate there are up to 4,000 Rwandan forces in Congo.
Burundian Foreign Minister Edouard Bizimana, in an interview with French state media RFI on Wednesday, urged the U.S. to pressure Rwandan President Paul Kagame to ensure the implementation of the agreement signed in the U.S., saying, “M23 without Kagame, without Rwanda, is nothing.”
Bizimana said the capture of Uvira poses a threat to the economic capital, Bujumbura.
“We have registered more than 30,000 refugees and asylum seekers in the last three days… Uvira and Bujumbura are coastal cities. What threatens Uvira also threatens Bujumbura."
In a statement Wednesday, the U.S. Embassy in Kinshasa urged M23 and Rwandan troops to cease all offensive operations and for the Rwandan Defense Forces to withdraw to Rwanda.
On Wednesday morning, the Rwandan Ministry of Foreign Affairs blamed the Congolese armed forces for the recent ceasefire violations in a statement on X.
“The DRC has openly stated that it would not observe any ceasefire, and was fighting to recapture territories lost to AFC/M23, even as the peace process unfolded,” it said.
More than 100 armed groups are vying for a foothold in mineral-rich eastern Congo near the border with Rwanda, most prominently M23. The conflict has created one of the world’s most significant humanitarian crises, with more than 7 million people displaced, officials say.
Local U.N. partners report that more than 200,000 people have been displaced across the province since Dec. 2, with more than 70 killed. Civilians also have crossed into Burundi, and there have been reports of shells falling in the town of Rugombo, on the Burundian side of the border, raising concerns about the conflict spilling over into Burundian territory.
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Pronczuk reported from Dakar, Senegal. Associated Press writer Renovat Ndabashinze in Bujumbura, Burundi, contributed to this report.
FILE - M23 rebels escort government soldiers and police who surrendered to an undisclosed location in Goma, Democratic republic of the Congo, Jan. 30, 2025. (AP Photo/Moses Sawasawa, File)
