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This report explores which routes in the Nordic Region will be suitable for establishing electric aviation according to two factors: energy demands of airports and regional power adequacy. The report is part of the Nordregio project Electric aviation and the effects on the Nordic Regions and substantially builds on the project’s Accessibility study.
The Accessibility study identified 203 airports in the Nordic Region as feasible for accommodating electric aviation, on the basis of savings in transport time, connecting rural areas with urban or other rural areas, and overcoming cross-water distances or other geographical obstacles. It is impossible to clarify the energy capacity and infrastructure adequacy of all 203 airports within the scope of this report. Consequently, a regional perspective on the power adequacy is applied for the report assessments. This will assist in the selection of reasonable case studies, which will be explored in the next stages of this project, for the first generation of electric aviation in the Nordic Region.
It is important to emphasise that power conditions and connections of local distribution grids differ within regions, as does the energy demand of airports. Standard conditions of battery electric airplanes, power demands, and charging infrastructure are described in the following chapters, with an aim to understand requirements for power capacities and infrastructure to adequately support electric aviation.
Technical conditions and charging options are explored for electric aviation in this chapter. The technical conditions represent standard measures that can differ in practice, e.g., the expected electricity consumption per flight depends on number of passengers and weather conditions. Applied data and information are gathered from reports and articles by Avinor, Electro Flight, Heart Aerospace, and research studies to ensure representative and valid data.
Figure 1: Schematic wingtip propeller architecture for an ATR-72 (hybrid electric airplane). A new arrangement of propulsors can lead to better aerodynamic lift properties of the wing. A variation of this concept is an architecture with two electric-driven wingtip propellers and a conventionally placed gas turbine on each wing (Hoelzen & et.al., 2018).
Standard processes are, additionally, more comprehensive for 30-passenger airplane compared to 19-passenger airplane[1]The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) adopts certification specifications for aviation in 31 EU and EØS member states to ensure high security of operations and safety on board. EASA CS-23 targets small to-engine propel airplanes with a passenger capacity of max. 19 and a total weight of 8 600 kg. EASA CS-25 applies to larger, turbine-powered airplanes. (Avinor & Luftfartstilsynet, 2020) Safety requirements are more comprehensive for CS-25 airplanes due to the larger size, weight, the centre of gravity, airspeed, and power (European Union Safety Agency, 2021). (Avinor, 2020) Hybrid solutions are generally not considered in this project due to the difficulty in predicting electricity demands that depend on the practical consumption share of electricity and jet fuels per flight.[2]Yet, hybrid solutions might be taken into consideration in individual case studies of this project, depending on specific plans of the selected airports to introduce hybrid solutions in the nearer future.
Batteries function as converters of electric and chemical energy. Today’s lithium-ion batteries applied in electric airplane, have a specific energy (energy per mass unit) of around 196 Watthour/kilo (Wh/kg) (Electro Flight, 2022). With technological development, these are expected to provide a specific energy between 400-450 Wh/kg in near future. Solid-state batteries are also in development, which are assessed to have a specific energy of 650 Wh/kg, improving the range and duration of flights. (Avinor, 2020)
The specific energy of batteries is important due to the weight of them, which limits the size that can be feasibly installed in airplanes. Consequently, the battery package of a fully electric 19-passenger and a hybrid-electric 30-passenger airplane is the same. Routes designated in the Accessibility study are, therefore, applicable to hybrid-electric airplane as well, in case they only operate on electricity.
Heart Aerospace has announced that their first hybrid-electric airplane will carry 30 passengers, hence, technical specifications of the battery package can be applied for this project ( Heart Aerospace, 2023). The installed SEED battery package, produced by Electroflight, will weigh 5,000 tons (Electro Flight, 2022), which makes it possible to overcome 200 km. on electricity (Heart Aerospace, 2023). As a result, the airplane battery package will contain an energy capacity of approximately 980 kWh[3]Calculation: (196 Wh/kg x 5 000 kg) /1 000 = 980 kWh., roughly equalling the battery capacity of 10 Tesla Model S (Long Range). A battery is most efficient when charged to around 80 % – 90 % of its capacity, which equals to around 780 – 880 kWh. Besides achieving higher efficiency, the battery lifetime is extended.
A CS-23 electric airplane theoretically consumes 570 kWh[4]Calculation: 0,15 kWh * 19 passengers * 200 km = 570 kWh. electricity to cover a 200 km distance with 19 passengers on board, which is calculated based on an expected energy consumption of 0,1 – 0,15 kWh per seat km (Reimers, 2018). This consumption equals 58 % of the total energy capacity, but it will vary in practice due to, e.g., weather conditions and luggage weight. The battery must also not be charged to less than 5-10 % of its capacity, as a safety measure and to maintain the battery lifetime.
Duration of flights for the CS-30 hybrid-electric airplane is indicated to be 200 km on electricity, 400 km on electricity and hybrid, and 800 km on electricity and hybrid with 25 passengers, with a battery charging time of 30 minutes ( Heart Aerospace, 2023). While the 200 km flight distance can be extended in practice, this is not considered in the Accessibility study due to data limitations. However, potential routes not exceeding 250 km are assessed for the designation of routes as Nordic case studies.
Picture 1: Image of Heart Aerospace Electric Airplane (Heart Aerospace, “Heart ES-30 Battery System”, 2023).
Picture 2: Heart Aerospace ES-19, Heart livery (Heart Aerospace, “Heart Aerospace ES-19, Heart livery 2”, 2023).
Electrification of energy systems can be a cost-effective enabler for transitioning the energy, industry, and transport sectors (Nordic Energy Research, 2021). Electrification requires increased capacity and management of power grids to tackle high power demands and fluctuating energy production because of a high share of renewable energy sources. Consequently, the future demand and supply of energy cannot be balanced without taking adequate measures to ensure high energy security. For instance, by implementing energy storage solutions and smart energy consumption measures.
Introducing electric aviation implies that airports will undergo an electrification process that will increase their electricity demand. This requires sufficient connection to the local grid, to meet future demands and ensure backup supply in case of shut down of power units or insufficient weather conditions for e.g., wind and photovoltaic power production. In the Nordic countries, some regions are more favourable for airport electrification than others, as these regions experience a surplus of electricity production and stability of transmission and distribution grids. These regions are outlined in the following chapter to add perspectives to the selection of case studies, to be analysed in the next stages of the project.
Map 1: The Nordic countries' transmission grids, including Denmark, Sweden, Finland, and Norway. The map is produced by Svenska Kraftnät. (Svenska Kraftnät, 2021).
Map 2: The power coverage rate of Danish municipalities. Blue colours indicate a surplus production and beige colours a deficit consumption of electricity. (Energinet & Green Power Denmark, 2021).
Map 3: Initiated transmission grid projects under the FÖN programme (Svenska Kraftnät, 2022).
Picture 3: Stavanger Airport in Norway (Flickr Commons).
Map 4: Locations of public wind power projects in Finland. (Fingrid, n.d.).
Map 5: Map of the national Icelandic transmission and distribution grids managed and operated by Landsnet. (Orkustofnun, 2023).
Technological development in the aviation space is moving fast. Time estimates regarding the introduction of alternative carbon-neutral or low-carbon solutions to substitute fossil-fuels for aviation are compiled, to outline future technical options.
Figure 2: Strategies for decarbonising or to reduce carbon-emissions related to aviation (Douglas & James, 2022)
Figure 2 is created by the Worldfund and indicates carbon-neutral or low-carbon strategies for aviation. The figure suggests that hydrogen and sustainable aviation fuels (SAF) are competitive solutions to battery electric propulsion systems. (Douglas & James, 2022)
Hydrogen is not yet applied for aviation due to several limiting factors, including high costs, sparse supply chains, technological immaturity, and lack of certification specifications. Hydrogen-powered airplanes are firstly expected to be operational by 2040, according to the Worldfund. (Douglas & James, 2022) However, according to a Nordic study compiled by Niras, Syddansk University, and Nordic Initiative for Sustainable Aviation (NISA), the first hydrogen airplane is expected to be introduced between 2027-2030 in the Nordic Region (Mortensen & et.al., 2019). Generally, there is uncertainty related to the pace of developing hydrogen propulsion systems for aviation.
Biofuels, on the other hand, are increasingly utilised as a blend-in-fuel, substituting a share of fossil-fuels in jet fuels. Due to compatibility with existing fossil-fuel based propulsion systems, lower carbon content, as well as immaturity and uncertainty associated with other alternative strategies, biofuels are expected to play a significant role in reaching 2030 and 2050 carbon reduction targets. However, the energy density of biofuels is lower than fossil fuels, and regional feedstocks of biomass are considered inadequate to meet future demands for Nordic airborne transport, hence, other solutions must be accounted for. (Mortensen & et.al., 2019)
Electro-fuel is a term for fuels synthesised from renewable electricity, hydrogen and a carbon source or nitrogen that can be used as drop-in fuel for, e.g., airplanes. Electro-fuels share similar limitations as hydrogen; hence, the fuels are not applied for aviation yet. The production of hydrogen and electro-fuels requires a large scale-up of electricity production to meet future demand, because of an energy system efficiency factor of around 50 %. Consequently, around twice as much electricity is required to fulfil aviation demands by electro-fuels compared with electricity. (Hansson & et.al., 2016). Direct usage of electricity is therefore preferable, considering the uptake of land and material resources to enable hydrogen and electro-fuel production.
It should be noted that hydrogen, biofuels, and electro-fuels are primarily considered in relation to long-distance flights, due to the higher energy density and avoidance of including a heavy battery package in the airplane. Therefore, small battery electric airplanes are not expected to meet competition from these alternatives, except from biofuels which are currently available as a blend-in-fuel to reduce carbon emissions.
Specific Nordic routes are recommended for selection as case studies based on the regional power grid capacity. In general, all Nordic countries consider electrification as a key enabler for decarbonising the energy and transport sector. However, increased power production and consumption necessitate improvements and extension of current power grid, to meet future energy demand and avoid congestion. Additionally, power consumers need to apply smart consumption measures, to assist in stabilising national power grids, where fluctuating renewable energy production will constitute a high share.
In Denmark, Aalborg airport currently has a strong foundation for establishing electric aviation, based on the power grid in the municipality. However, Karup and Rønne airport can connect rural areas with urban areas, such as Copenhagen. While the power capacity situation in Karup is uncertain in terms of adequacy for supplying electric aviation, the benefits of introducing electric aviation are interesting to investigate, since the airport currently offers only a few domestic connections.
Umeå, Skellefteå, and Kiruna airports in Sweden are interesting to investigate as case studies. Umeå and Skellefteå airports can serve routes to Finland, and Kiruna to both Finland and Norway. All three airports are in the Northern part of Sweden, where the power adequacy is high, and several projects focusing on electrification of heavy industries and transport are underway.
In Norway, Bodø is an interesting case study to investigate as a local junction for electric aviation with connections to, e.g., Mo i Rana, Mosjøen and Narvik airports, which are all located close to planned power grid projects operated by Statnett. Additionally, Narvik and Bodø airports have the potential to accommodate routes to Kiruna airport in Sweden.
Regarding Finland, there are several options due to high power grid adequacy in the country. However, airports placed in Lapland and Sea-Lapland, including Rovaniemi, Kittiliä, and Enontekio, as well as airports in the Ostrobothnia region, including Vaasa, Kauhava and Kauhajoki airports, are relevant to consider as case studies due to high power coverage rates. Kauhava, Vaasa, and Kauhajoki airports can provide cross-water connections to, e.g., Umeå airport in Sweden. Inland airports such as Kajaani and Kuusamo airport can also be considered to increase the connection of rural areas domestically.
In Iceland, energy adequacy and grid connections are strong throughout most of the country, hence, energy supply is not a concern. However, limitations regarding population density should be considered in some areas, where the demand for aviation might be too low for electric aviation to be feasible. Therefore, Akureyri airport, which has a solid national power grid is interesting to investigate as a local junction for electric aviation, with connection to, e.g., Reykjavik.
It is important to keep in mind that the choice of charging system can increase the feasibility of establishing electric aviation by, e.g., installing battery systems that enable charging, when renewable power production is high. This provides stability for the national grid, as well as low energy prices, and possibilities for smart consumption. However, the initial investment cost of batteries may be a barrier for the feasibility of introducing electric aviation.
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Nordic Energy Research
Klaus Skytte, Marton Leander Vølstad, Ditte Stougaard Stiler
Nordregio working paper 2023:5
ISBN 978-91-8001-062-7 (ONLINE)
ISBN 978-91-8001-063-4 (PDF)
ISSN: 1403-2511
http://doi.org/10.6027/WP2023:5.1403-2511
© Nordregio 2023
Layout: Mette Agger Tang
Cover Photo: Unsplash.com
Nordregio is a leading Nordic and European research centre for regional development and planning, established by the Nordic Council of Ministers in 1997. We conduct solution-oriented and applied research, addressing current issues from both a research perspective and the viewpoint of policymakers and practitioners. Operating at the international, national, regional and local levels, Nordregio’s research covers a wide geographic scope, emphasising the Nordic and Baltic Sea Regions, Europe and the Arctic.
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