Swedavia, a Swedish world leader in developing climate-smart airports, has won international recognition for its investment in bio aviation fuel. Last year, a delegation with representatives from organizations such as Singapore Airlines, the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore and Changi Airport visited Sweden’s largest airport operator to learn more about the company’s work to reduce airport climate impact. So far there are five climate-smart airports in Sweden.
Swedavia has demonstrated how they are making the aviation industry more sustainable and reducing carbon footprint from flying at five Swedish airports, Stockholm Arlanda Airport, Gothenborg Landvetter Airport, Bromma Stockholm Airport, Visby Airport and Luleå Airport.
The most climate-smart in the world
Visby Airport is now entirely fossil fuel free. Following years of focused work, which includes electrification of its vehicles, a switch in fuels and implementation of efficiency measures, the airport has now secured its position as one of the most climate-smart in the world.
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The fuel is produced by World Energy in Los Angeles and supplied by SkyNRG and Shell through the Fly Green Fund. Since 2016, Swedavia gas bought bio aviation fuel each year corresponding to the fuel consumed by its employees on some 10,000 annual flights for business purposes. Bio aviation fuel is indeed key to the long-term sustainability of air travel, and Swedavia’s vision is for Swedish domestic air travel to be fossil-free by as early as 2030.
The Fly Green Fund is a Nordic initiative founded by SkyNRG, NISA and Karlstad Airport, that enables organizations and individuals to reduce their carbon emissions by flying on sustainable aviation fuel.
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Climate-Smart Airports in Sweden
Swedavia’s investment in bio aviation fuel has been recognized internationally. Swedavia is reducing carbon emissions for all their business flights through the Fly Green Fund. With their support Swedavia is not only making their own air travel more sustainable but through their partnership in the Fly Green Fund, they are also supporting the development of local sustainable aviation fuel production.
Aviation’s battle against climate change
Aviation’s battle against climate change is a two-pronged affair. On one hand you have aircraft emissions, contributing between 2 and 6 per cent of the world’s greenhouse gas pollution, depending who you speak to.
Then there is the impact of airports themselves, huge builds requiring massive amounts of energy all year round and occupied by fleets of fuel-hungry vehicles. The latter prong at least is one that Sweden’s Visby Airport can happily say it is doing the best it can to overcome.
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Transport of the future
“Air travel needs to be part of the transport of the future and it must be sustainable. In the short term, biofuel is the solution that can provide the most benefit for the climate so investments in this are absolutely essential. With our forests as raw materials, we also have good opportunities for large-scale domestic production of biofuel. There is potential here for a new Swedish industrial sector and a showcase for the country,” said Jonas Abrahamsson, president and CEO of Swedavia in a press release.
All images: Swedavia
Climate-Smart Airports in Sweden, written by Tor Kjolberg