Aviation Biofuel Production in Sweden

Abstract: Civil Aviation is one of the fastest growing sectors on earth, for which emissions currently account for between 2 and 3% of the global total (International Air Transport Association, 2013). Decarbonising the aviation sector is a key challenge on the international agenda, for which sustainable alternative fuels stand as playing a future role. Biofuels for aviation (biojet) have shown to be energy efficient, safe and generate significant emissions savings (Faaij & van dijk, 2012). Efforts are currently underway to accelerate biojet fuel development through establishing global and regional supply chains for commercial production, yet high production costs, relative to fossil based fuel production stands as the fundamental hurdle preventing commercial scale production. The Nordic region is characterised as having good potential for biofuel production, prompting studies throughout Norway, Finland and Denmark. Similar environmental conditions are found within Sweden, yet a Swedish regional investigation into biojet production opportunities is yet to be carried out. This research identifies key opportunities and barriers to establishing a biojet production system within Sweden using available forestry biomass as a feedstock. Findings indicate that the availability of forestry biomass resources, infrastructure and knowledge present within the Swedish system could support the establishment of a biojet system, yet high production costs and a lack of policy support create unfavourable market conditions. Future efforts to establish biojet uptake in Sweden may include lobbying for policy change at the national level to recognize aviation emissions when setting policy targets. The process of facilitating collaboration through linking actors in the field, both within Sweden and throughout the wider Nordic region, is an essential non-technical component to streamline future potential supply chain pathways.