Zero Emission Regional Aviation Conference 2026

The Norwegian Ministry of Transport, the Civil Aviation Authority Norway and Avinor are pleased to invite you to ZERAC 2026 – an established international meeting place for stakeholders working to accelerate the transition to zero- and low-emission aviation.

This year’s programme will focus on concrete measures strengthening the support of development, testing, early market introduction and scaling of new technologies for regional air services. We include next-generation aircraft, hydrogen, future air mobility services and the enabling frameworks needed for safe scaling into commercial operations.

08:30 DOORS OPEN & REGISTRATION

09:15–09:45 OPENING OF THE CONFERENCE

Host: Bergljot Tjønn – Program Manager Electrification, Avinor

Welcome from:

• Wenche Olsen – Acting Director General, Civil Aviation Authority of Norway
• Abraham Foss – Chief Executive Officer, Avinor

Opening speech:

• Kamzy Gunaratnam – Minister of Transport, Norwegian Ministry of Transport

09:45–10:00 MINI-SESSION: FROM FIRST FLIGHT TO FUTURE OPERATIONS

Topic: Heart Aerospace’s first-flight milestone, plans going forward and a Q&A with Heart Aerospace and SAS.

Moderator:

• Olav Mosvold Larsen – VP Sustainability, Avinor

Speakers:

• Anders Forslund – Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer, Heart Aerospace
• Isabelle Nordin – Head of Sustainability, SAS

10:00–11:00 SESSION 1: NEXT-GENERATION REGIONAL AIR TRANSPORT

Topic: Outlook on technology development, regional use cases and possible pathways towards implementation.

Moderator:

• Axel Knutsen – Director of Short Runway Airports, Avinor

Speakers:

• Eirik Nøren Stenersen – Partner, Oslo Economics
• Jayne Golding – Partnership Manager – Innovation, Highlands and Islands Transport Partnership (HITRANS)
• Parker Vascik – Director of Product Strategy, Electra.aero
• Otto Verhoeff – Chief Business Officer, Væridion
• Eric Lithun – Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Noemi Aerospace

11:00–11:20 COFFEE BREAK

11:20–12:20 SESSION 2: HYDROGEN IN AVIATION

Topic: Updates on projects, demonstrations and ecosystem development.

Moderator:

• Birgitte Johannessen – Program Manager Hydrogen, Avinor

Speakers:

• Ingebjørg Telnes Wilhelmsen – Secretary General, Norwegian Hydrogen Forum
• Stéphane Rouault – Head of ZEROe Ecosystem & Value, Airbus
• Simen Skaare Eriksen – Chief Commercial Officer, Norwegian Hydrogen
• Tim Vleeshouwer – Rotterdam The Hague Airport
• Helen Leadbetter – Technical Strategy Lead, Zero Emissions Flight, UK Civil Aviation Authority

12:20–13:00 LUNCH

13:00–13:30 BEYOND TRADITIONAL AVIATION: LESSONS LEARNED FROM TECHNOLOGY TRANSITIONS AND SUSTAINABILITY STRATEGIES

Speakers:

• Endre Angelvik – Executive Vice President Radical Innovation, Ruter
• Tom Christiansen – Deputy Commander, Ørland Air Wing, Royal Norwegian Air Force

13:30–14:30 SESSION 3: ENABLING THE TRANSITION: THE ROLE OF POLICY, REGULATION AND FINANCE

Topic: Reflections on how policy, regulation, finance and industry collaboration can accelerate the deployment of zero-emission aviation.

Moderator: Sølvi Solvoll, Head of Innovation Advisory Service, CAA Norway

Speakers:

• Nils Harald Hansen – Aura Aero
• Alessia Affinito – EU Public Affairs Manager, Væridion
• Ulrike Ziegler – President, IMPACT on sustainable aviation
• Trine Speismark Lindgren – Director General, Norwegian Ministry of Transport
• Antoine Toulemont – EU Affairs Adviser, AURA AERO
• Charlotte Nytoft – Investment Manager, Invest in Norway, Innovation Norway

14:30–14:45 COFFEE BREAK

14:45–15:45 SESSION 4: FUTURE AIR MOBILITY SERVICES

Topic: Perspectives on airspace, operations, infrastructure and public-service needs, with a focus on end users and use cases.

Moderator:

• Jan Petter Steinland – Director Strategic Analysis and Transformation, CAA Norway

Speakers:

• Verity Richardson – Managing Director Europe, Archer Aviation
• Simon Meakins – Director Advanced Air Mobility EAMEA, Bristow Group
• Lauren Haertlein – Deputy General Counsel, Joby Aviation
• Harald Bertin Jøsendal – Base leader, Norwegian Air Ambulance
• Tom Christiansen – Deputy Commander, Ørland Air Wing, Royal Norwegian Air Force

15:45–16:00 TAKEAWAYS FROM THE DAY

16:00 END OF FORMAL PROGRAMME

16:00–18:00 NETWORKING / AFTERWORK AT HITCHHIKER