In Norway, state-owned airport operator Avinor has selected energy provider Gasum Oy to supply liquefied biomethane (bioLNG) to fuel a gas turbine genset that heats and powers Longyearbyen Airport (LYR) on Svalbard.
Svalbard is a Norwegian territory comprised of a group of islands between mainland Norway and the North Pole. It is one of the northernmost inhabited areas in the world, located approximately 1,000 km north of Tromsø.
Due to the remote and northern location of Svalbard, reliable energy needs are met by fuel-based solutions, historically by coal, which was replaced with diesel in 2023.
Avinor has developed a gas turbine concept for heating and electricity for Longyearbyen Airport (LYR) on Svalbard. As part of this energy transition, Gasum now supplies liquified biomethane (bioLNG) to the airport, the northernmost and most remote location that Gasum has supplied.
Reducing emissions in challenging conditions
Avinor manages 43 airports in Norway, of which Longyearbyen has represented 15-20 percent of Avinor’s total greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.
This agreement with Avinor is a great demonstration of Gasum’s dedication to helping our customers achieve their climate goals. In challenging environments and energy-intensive operations, electrification is not always a feasible solution. In those cases, switching to using biogas can have a huge positive impact. We look forward to seeing emissions reduce in the Svalbard islands with our continuing collaboration with Avinor, said Ville Pesonen, VP, Industry and Traffic, Gasum.
The annual energy demand of Longyearbyen Airport is 4 GWh.
The use of biogas in our energy production at Svalbard Airport is a crucial step towards achieving Avinor’s climate goals by 2030. By transitioning to renewable and carbon-negative fuels like Biogas Plus, we significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions and demonstrate our commitment to sustainable operations, even in the most challenging environments, said Karianne Helland Strand, EVP Sustainability and Infrastructure in Avinor.
Negative emissions with Biogas Plus
The bioLNG is shipped in containers from Stavanger via Tromsø to Longyearbyen, the capital of Svalbard.
Gasum has also given training on the safe handling of bioLNG to airport personnel and rescue services.
According to Gasum, bioLNG is a fully renewable fuel, with life-cycle GHG emissions that are, on average, 90 percent lower compared with conventional fossil fuels like diesel.
For the airport, Avinor has chosen Gasum’s premium product Biogas Plus, which has emissions below zero and is certified in accordance with ISCC and provided with Proof of Sustainability (PoS) documentation.
Biogas Plus has a negative Carbon Intensity (CI) score of approximately -15 grams of CO2eq/MJ. This means that even a remote and isolated location such as Svalbard can utilize 100 percent renewable and carbon-negative fuels for all energy needs.
