Emissions from air traffic and the value chain
The largest aviation-related greenhouse gas emissions come from air traffic itself.
Key actors within Norwegian aviation are working together toward the goal of fossil-free domestic aviation by 2050. Collaboration is crucial. For example, the implementation of curved arrivals is a key emissions reduction measure but requires cooperation between airlines, air navigation services, airports, and the Civil Aviation Authority.
Since the first passenger jets were introduced in the 1950s, emissions per passenger kilometer have been reduced by 80 percent, but due to substantial traffic growth, greenhouse gas emissions have still increased significantly.
Aircraft manufacturers are developing entirely new and more energy-efficient planes, but they are also implementing comprehensive measures on existing fleets to reduce fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. Norwegian airlines continue to work on energy efficiency and are continuously upgrading and renewing their fleets. In the 20 years before the pandemic, more energy-efficient engines, improved aerodynamics, lower weight, and more seats contributed to more than halving emissions per passenger kilometer.
Norwegian aviation has been collaborating on climate measures for many years. Read more in this report:
Emissions from air traffic and the value chain
Optimization of the airspace is high on Avinor's strategic agenda. Avinor, the airlines, and the Civil Aviation Authority are continuously working on measures in the airspace that reduce fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emissions from aircraft. Free Route Airspace (FRA) has been implemented in Norway and our neighboring countries, meaning that en-route flights usually do not have to navigate via predetermined points, but can choose the most efficient route from A to B.
Arrivals and departures are optimized and designed for continuous ascent and descent. For many years, Oslo Airport, Gardermoen has been at the efficient traffic management (based on data from Eurocontrol). Digital tools for traffic management and information sharing (Collaborative Decision Making- CDM) are important tools/processes that are continually being developed.
The transition from ground-based navigation to the use of satellites (Performance Based Navigation - PBN) provides shorter and more direct routing, as well as more energy-efficient arrivals and departures. Norway has been at the forefront of this work, and in 2022, Avinor decided that all Avinor airports should implement curved approaches (RNP-AR) by 2028. Recently, the work on Phase 2, curved approaches at all short-runway locations, has begun. This has the potential for significant reductions in fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emissions, as well as higher capacity.
At Oslo Airport, there have been curved approaches for many years.
The air navigation service providers in the Northern European business alliance Borealis have implemented Free Route Airspace (FRA). This is an airspace consept that allows airlines to no longer follow predefined routes and to choose the most optimal route. The potential is a reduction in fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emissions.
Avinor is working on airspace efficiency internationally together with organizations such as ACI and CANSO, through the Borealis business alliance, and with Eurocontrol.
Emissions and climate impact in the upper layers of the atmosphere are key topics in research and development. As part of the international work, Avinor participates in research and development projects to gather information on how air traffic affects the formation of cirrus clouds at high altitudes, and how traffic can potentially be routed around the most vulnerable areas to reduce negative climate effects.
Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) was certified for aviation in 2009. SAF can be produced either from biomass (to biofuel) or from non-biological inputs like hydrogen and CO2 (to so-called electrofuels). Even with future implementation of electrified aircraft and possibly hydrogen as an energy carrier, there are currently no known alternatives to sustainable fuel for long-distance aviation. SAF also has the advantage that it can be used in existing aircraft fleets and infrastructure.
Today's production of SAF is small, and everything used in Norwegian aviation today is imported. The low level of SAF production is mainly due to the significantly higher cost of SAF compared to conventional fossil fuels. From January 2020, there has been a requirement for 0.5 % biofuel as a share of all aviation fuel sold in Norway (with the exception of Defense). Norway was the first country in the world with such a requirement. It is required that the biofuel should be advanced, meaning fuel made from waste and residues. The EU has adopted a common fuel requirement which came into effect in 2025. The fuel requirement falls under the Refuel EU Aviation regulation and applies to flights in and out of the EU. It starts at 2% blending in 2025 and increases to 70% blending in 2050.
Norwegian authorities have announced that the Norwegian renewable fuel from 2026 will increase to 2 % (EU level), and that RefuelEU Aviation will be implemented in Norway from 2027.
Norway and Norwegian aviation have been early adopters of SAF, and Avinor has taken a leading role in the field. In 2016, Oslo Airport became the first international airport in the world to blend SAF into the regular fuel system and offer it to all airlines refueling there. Avinor has also, in close collaboration with key players in Norwegian aviation, led and financed knowledge development projects on sustainable aviation fuel that have explored the potential for Norwegian production as well as possible measures for increased production and use. A number of reports on sustainable aviation fuel are available on Avinor's website. See our environmental reports here.
Current SAF production is based on used cooking oil and slaughterhouse waste. However, there are limits to how much production can be increased using these resources. In the near future there will be a need for SAF produced from other types of feedstocks, for example forest residues, hydrogen and CO₂ (for e-fuels), and non-recyclable waste. With available bio-resources and a high share of renewables in the power grid, Norway is well positioned for production. However, these are largely first-of-a-kind projects and requires new technologies with creating a significant need for risk mitigation. Substantial investments have been made in project development and demonstration facilities, but final investment decisions are still pending.
Avinor cooperates with environmental organizations, industry stakeholders, and research institutions to advance SAF in Norway. Internationally, Avinor is active in the EU project TULIPS, led by Amsterdam Airport Schiphol, where Avinor, among other things, leads work examining how airports can contribute to increasing the use and production of SAF.
Many players are working on new energy carriers for air traffic. With an already established market for short flights with small planes, significant experience and interest in the electrification of transportation, and almost 100 % renewable electricity, Norway is in a unique position to adopt electrified aircraft. Several aircraft manufacturers see Norway as a relevant market for the first electrified passenger planes, which are expected to be small and with a limited range.
Electrified aircraft are defined as aircraft that have one or more electric motors for propulsion in the air. The electricity that powers the engines can come from various sources: batteries, fuel cells (hydrogen), or hybrid solutions (a range extender that can be powered with SAF).
Players such as Airbus and Rolls-Royce are also working on solutions where hydrogen is burned directly in the aircraft's gas turbines.