How Swedavia is working to achieve fossil-free airports
Swedavia is a leader among airport operators in the world when it comes to developing and operating fossil-free airports. We are working on this transition in several steps. First, we have converted our own airport operations and second, we are a driving force in the work to ensure that all actors operating at our airports transition to fossil-free operations.
Our own airport operations are fossil-free
Swedavia has been fossil-free in all airport operations it carries out since the end of 2020. In other words, all operations for which we have full control.
-
We have worked to manage our direct emissions (scope 1), for example, emissions from our own vehicles and machinery, auxiliary power and emissions during firefighting exercises.
-
We have also worked to manage our indirect emissions (scope 2) from, for example, purchased electricity and heat - emissions that occur at the point of production.
- Carbon dioxide emissions are calculated based on the combustion of fuel, i.e. the part of the life cycle that Swedavia can influence.
Some key measures
in the work to become fossil free
Renewable energy
All of the energy that heats and cools our airports, as well as the energy that provides light and powers equipment, is from renewable energy sources such as wind and hydro power. Swedavia buys green district heating produced from biofuels, such as wood chips and forest residues.
Auxiliary power
Airports have historically relied on diesel fuel for auxiliary power. After close cooperation with engine manufacturers, diesel has been replaced by HVO100 (Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil).
Work equipment and machinery
Swedavia's work equipment and machinery have been replaced with electric machines or machines that can run on renewable fuels.
Vehicles
For many years, Swedavia has been working according to two main strategies to create a fossil-free vehicle fleet: switching to fossil-free fuels and switching to vehicles that can use fossil-free fuels. In renewing the vehicle fleet, we have also prioritised the reduction of environmental emissions, improving energy efficiency and automation. Swedavia's vehicles currently run on fossil-free gas, HVO100 and green electricity.
Firefighting exercises
Swedavia has replaced the fossil fuels previously used in our firefighting exercises (including Jet A-1 and Avgas) with renewable fuels such as bio LPG, green LPG, secondary ethanol and HVO100.
Biogas
Swedavia purchases biogas produced mainly from food waste. The biogas is used, among other things, in the buses that run between the car park and the terminal and the buses that take passengers between the gates and the aircraft. Biogas is also used for snow removal machines.
Bio LPG
Swedavia purchases Bio LPG on a mass balance basis. This means that the supplier ensures that the corresponding amount of Bio LPG is produced and fed into the LPG system. The principle is comparable to the system used for the distribution and purchase of green electricity.
Fossil-free airports - includes other operators
Swedavia has set a goal that our airports will be fossil-free by the end of 2025. By this we mean that we will not only be fossil-free in our own operations, but companies based at our airports, such as ground handling companies selling services to airlines, catering operations, etc., will also be fossil-free.
In our work to achieve this goal, we focus on issues such as the increased need for charging infrastructure and fossil-free fuels, reducing emissions, and setting goals for our partners' transition. We also offer incentives such as allowing partners to refuel their vehicles with fossil-free fuel at a reduced price at several of our airports.
Airport Carbon Accreditation (ACA)
Airport Carbon Accreditation (ACA) is owned and managed by the international industry association ACI Europe and is a voluntary, globally recognised certification scheme for the reduction of fossil carbon emissions in the aviation industry around the world.
In 2024, Göteborg Landvetter Airport, Malmö Airport, Arlanda Airport and Ronneby Airport have been certified at the new highest level - ACA 5. This certification is awarded to airports that are working towards net-zero carbon emissions across the entire value chain, including all procured goods and services, by 2050. Within Swedavia, we have 6 airports that have achieved the previous highest certification - ACA 4+. This means that we actively coooperate and jointly plan with operators who account for a significant proportion of the airport's total emissions. The ambition is for all of Swedavia’s airports to achieve the highest level of certification.
