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 for aircraft. Free Route Airspace (FRA) has been facilitated 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 facilitated for continuous ascent and descent. For many years, Oslo Airport, Gardermoen has been at the forefront in terms of efficient traffic management (based on data from Eurocontrol). Digital tools for traffic management and information sharing (Collaborative Decision Management - 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 started. This has the potential for significant reductions in fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emissions, as well as higher regulations.

At OSL, 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 organization that allows airlines to no longer follow predefined routes and 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 a central issue 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 with biomass (to biofuel) or made 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 of being usable in existing aircraft fleets and infrastructure. 

Today's production of SAF is small, and everything used in Norwegian aviation today is imported. The low production is related to the fact that the additional cost of SAF compared to conventional, fossil fuels is significant. From January 2020, there has been a requirement for 0.5 percent biofuel as a share of all aviation fuel sold in Norway (with the exception of the Defense). Norway was the first country in the world with such a sales requirement. It is required that the biofuel should be so-called advanced, meaning fuel made from waste and residues. The EU has adopted a common sales requirement that came into effect from 2025. The sales 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 a requirement of 70% blending in 2050. Norwegian authorities have announced that the Norwegian renewable fuel obligation from 2026 will increase to 2 percent (EU level), and that RefuelEU Aviation will be implemented in Norway from 2027. Norway and Norwegian aviation have been early adopters of SAF in aviation, 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 both 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. Today's production of SAF is based on used cooking oil and slaughterhouse waste.

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 great interest in the electrification of transportation and almost 100 percent 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 have 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.