Self-evidently, the path to replacing fossil-fuel flights with net zero electric aviation has to start somewhere, and in Norway that somewhere could be the country’s 93rd largest city Førde on the rugged country’s North Sea coast. A newly-published report by the independent Institute for Transport Economics (TØI), has proposed the launch of a ground-breaking, subsidized public service obligation (PSO) route using electric aircraft to connect the town’s 13,000 population with Norway’s second-largest city Bergen as the first, or one of the first legs, in a network of such routes that could begin operations from around 2028 or 2029.
Unlike neighboring Sweden, Norway does not yet have a specific national target for achieving zero-emission domestic flights. Nonetheless, as part of its alignment with the declared net zero commitment of the European Union (EU), its government has said aviation must contribute to an overall 55 percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions in the transport sector by 2030. Under its new aviation strategy, the Norwegian government says it wants electric aircraft to be introduced as soon as possible, and this could include the proposed electric PSO-routes.
As things stand, the new report’s author Inga Margarete Ydersbond, senior researcher with TØI, believes Norway is, “nowhere near to achieving this target” in the transport sector with the current policies. This is despite the fact that, for the most part, the Norwegian air transport industry has invested in more energy-efficient aircraft and improved its operations to maximize fuel efficiency. The country also has mandates in places requiring the use of specified percentages of sustainable aviation fuel and a national tax on carbon dioxide emissions that are increasing the cost of flights with the intention of suppressing demand.
Meanwhile, the EU has proposed several additional measures to decarbonize aviation, including that aircraft operators will no longer get free allowances under its emissions trading scheme (ETS) and the application of SAF mandates from 2025. These measures are also expected to drive up the cost of flying in Europe and will apply to airlines in Norway based on its connection to the EU through the European Economic Area agreement.
Electric Aircraft Operators Need Incentives to Go Green
To give Norway a clearer framework for achieving net zero flights, TØI is calling on authorities to implement clear, quantified, and time-defined objectives. It also advocates various economic incentives, longer contract periods for public sector obligation (PSO) air services, and other measures that they feel will give aircraft manufacturers, airlines, and their investors the confidence to commit to green aviation in a more meaningful way. TØI sees the proposed electrified Førde to Bergen route, with a possible extension further south to Stavanger, as key waypoints along this trajectory.
The report’s starting point is to seek a commitment from the government to subsidize net zero PSO routes under a contract running for 10 to 15 years. It proposes other economic inducements to make the plan viable, including exemptions from takeoff and landing fees, as well as from value-added and passenger taxes, plus investment support through low-interest loans for airlines and aircraft residual value guarantees. Norway already taxes aviation fuel for domestic commercial flights and domestic passenger taxes, while neighboring Sweden has, like some other European countries, imposed passenger duties.
TØI also sees a case for public funds to be made available to establish the charging infrastructure at the airports, with Norway’s state-owned airport operator Avinor already expressing an interest in taking a leading role in this effort. The Norwegian state is not short of funds, paradoxically with many of these having been accrued from the country’s vast fossil-fuel wealth. Last year, Norway logged record national income from oil, gas, and electricity, but current laws prohibit the country’s sovereign wealth fund from investing in infrastructure projects out of concern for fueling national inflation.
“Making large changes [to transport policy] can be very difficult, but with enough money invested, we could reduce emissions by a lot,” commented Ydersbond. She sees the potential for new types of electric aircraft, first and foremost electric passenger aircraft, but also such as the Noemi electric seaplane being developed by Norwegian start-up Elfly and eVTOL aircraft.
In TØI’s view, with numerous small airports in the PSO-route network, there is strong market potential for new electric fixed-wing aircraft with short takeoff and landing performance to make an impact in reducing carbon emissions by around 2035. Despite their lower energy efficiency and range, eVTOL vehicles operating from vertiports for short routes in large urban areas and between islands and regional cities could also make a positive contribution.
In July 2022, Norwegian company AAP Aviation placed a provisional order for 40 of Lilium's six-passenger eVTOL aircraft, which is expected to have a range of up to around 250 km (155 miles). It said it intended to operate these aircraft, which are expected to complete type certification by the end of 2025, from a network of cities across Scandinavia.
Frøde, Bergen and Stavanger Could Be Trailblazing Net Zero Air Routes
Frøde and Bergen are both now in the recently-enlarged county of Vestland, where authorities appear eager to champion new transportation initiatives. The county launched what is reportedly the world’s first electric ferry service, connecting Larvik and Oppedal.
In March 2020, a PSO air route operated by regional carrier Widerøe was scrapped when state funding was withdrawn. This leaves travelers facing a 175 km (110 mile) drive, which can take anywhere between three and four hours. By air, the trip would be a short 125 km hop between Førde Airport Bringeland and Bergen Airport Flesland, taking barely half an hour in the air, with total traveling time depending on the point of departure and destination.
The airport at Bringeland is just 10 miles from Frøde. According to TØI, there is already sufficient recharging infrastructure and power grid capacity there and in Bergen to support a quick start to operations. Widerøe does its maintenance at the Flesland Airport, which is another key point in view of the need to provide technical support for electric aircraft.
The TØI report indicated that local people are strongly supportive of such an initiative and would save a minimum of an hour’s travel time in each direction. However, it indicated that the likely cost of flights on such a limited-capacity route would be such that business travelers would likely be the main users of the service. These might include people in the health care system and various public employees, as well as travelers working for private enterprises.
According to TØI, this puts the Førde-Bergen city pair in the sweet spot for early electric aircraft commercial flights. Given its public commitment to achieving net zero flying, Wideroe seems a likely pioneer, and on July 6 larger low-cost carrier Norwegian announced an agreement to acquire the smaller regional operator, which has previously shown interest in operating electric flights between Bergen and Stavanger.
Last month, Italian aircraft maker Tecnam and aero engines group Rolls-Royce surprised the industry when they abandoned plans to develop an all-electric, nine-passenger commuter aircraft called the P-Volt, which, at face value, might have been ideal for the Førde to Bergen route. Widerøe had planned to be the launch customer for this aircraft from 2026, but it also has a letter of intent signed with Embraer-backed Eve Air Mobility to operate its four-passenger eVTOL vehicles.
The airline’s Widerøe Zero division is exploring options to replace its current fleet of Dash 8-100 twin turboprop aircraft by 2035. It is also investigating the potential for using hydrogen-electric aircraft and is part of the airline council established by Embraer to evaluate options for new aircraft under the Brazilian manufacturer's Energia project.
The researchers at TØI believe the proposed pilot route from Førde, together with services between Stavanger and Bergen, would give the Norwegian air transport sector more defined starting points for its declared intent to back electric aviation. That said, the institute acknowledges that more will be needed, as, “a small project or route alone will not do the heavy lifting to commercialize electric aircraft.”
