Production of renewable aviation fuel in Östersund

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Production of renewableaviation fuel in Östersund

By capturing carbon dioxide from combined heat and power plants and then adding hydrogen, it is possible to produce aviation fuel that has up to 86 percent less carbon dioxide emissions than comparable fossil alternatives. The fuel can also be produced at a competitive price. This can be seen from a research project conducted by IVL Swedish Environmental Research Institute along with the energy company Jämtkraft, Chalmers and Lund University.

The project has looked at the conditions for launching the largescale production of renewable aviation fuel, known as biojet, in Sweden. It has been based on Jämtkraft’s combined heat and power plant in Lugnvik, near Östersund. In the process, carbon dioxide from the chimneys can be captured and mixed with hydrogen produced from renewable electricity to make electrofuel, which can be used in the existing aircraft fleet. Two synthesis pathways have been evaluated and both are showing promising results.

“The results are extremely positive. The aviation fuel that is produced can become a renewable option that has considerable potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from aviation,” said Anton Fagerström, project manager and researcher at IVL Swedish Environmental Research Institute.

RENEWABLE ENERGY A PREREQUISITE The aviation fuel that is produced has a low impact on both the climate and the environment. Carbon dioxide emissions are between 9–16 g per MJ of fuel, which is up to 86 percent less carbon dioxide emissions than comparable fossil alternatives. About 40 percent of production is made into aviation fuel, with the remainder being used for renewable fuels in the form of petrol and diesel.

“It’s important to point out that the results apply to the conditions here at the combined heat and power plant in Östersund, and the resource efficiency and sustainability of the fuel are dependent on a number of factors, including the fact that all raw materials are already on site, that incoming electricity and carbon dioxide flows are completely renewable in origin, and that we have efficient process integration,” said Anton Fagerström.

When fully developed, the plant could produce more than 80,000 tonnes of electrofuel, including approximately 27,000 tonnes of finished biojet. This corresponds to roughly five percent of the aviation fuel that is filled annually in Sweden. The cost of producing the electrofuel is estimated to be the order of SEK 15-25 per litre.

“The results show that the conditions are good for producing renewable aviation fuel in Östersund, at a competitive price compared to other renewable aviation fuels. This is because we can integrate the production process with our existing biofuel-fired combined heat and power plant. We are also planning to build a new CHP plant that will be inaugurated in 2024. By then, we will have even better conditions for producing renewable aviation fuel,” says Ulf Lindqvist, Unit Manager at Värme Jämtkraft.

The project has been concluded, but the results are being used in the ongoing work. The aim is to have a facility in Östersund that is ready for the production of renewable electrofuel within five years.

ABOUT THE PROJECT

The project has been funded by the Swedish Energy Agency and implemented by IVL Swedish Environmental Research Institute, Jämtkraft, Chalmers, Lund University, the Nordic Initiative for Sustainable Aviation (NISA) and Fly Green Fund (FGF). AFAB and Power Region have provided information to the various working groups.

To find out more, please contact: Anton Fagerström, anton.fagerstrom@ivl.se, tel. 010-788 68 81

PHOTO: JÄMTKRAFT

You can find the report at ivl.se under publications

Name: Anton Fagerström Age: 39 years Function at IVL: Head of the Energy Group, senior project manager and researcher

Background: M.Sc. in Biotechnology and Ph.D. in Chemistry. Formerly an area manager at Energiforsk and has worked as a development engineer in manufacturing industry. Has worked for three years as a project manager at IVL, focusing on renewable energy carriers, propellants and fuels, industrial transition, hydrogen gas and sustainable chemistry.

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