Fossil-free energy supply at Svalbard Airport – biogas plant enters operation

The biogas plant at Svalbard Airport seen from above Øystein Løwer/Avinor

On 12 January, the new biogas plant at Svalbard Airport, Longyear, enters operation. Using liquefied biogas (LBG) as its energy carrier, the airport will have a fossil-free solution for both electricity and heating, representing an important step towards significantly lower emissions from Avinor’s own operations.

“This is a very important climate measure for Avinor. Based on figures from 2022, emissions from electricity and heating at Svalbard Airport accounted for around 20 per cent of Avinor’s total emissions. With this solution, we are taking a clear step in the right direction,” says Anders Kirsebom, Chair of the Board of Svalbard Airport Ltd.

“The energy plant is a key measure to reduce Avinor’s own climate emissions and demonstrates how the company takes an active role as a driver and facilitator of emission reductions – even under demanding Arctic conditions,” says Karianne Helland Strand, Executive Vice President for Sustainability and Infrastructure at Avinor.

“Aviation is essential for settlement, emergency preparedness and business activity on Svalbard. At the same time, this infrastructure must also be developed in a more sustainable direction. The trial operation of the biogas plant at Svalbard Airport shows how Avinor is reducing emissions from airport operations, even under challenging conditions,” says Minister of Transport Jon-Ivar Nygård.

Designed to meet the airport’s full energy demand

The modular energy plant is designed to cover Svalbard Airport’s entire demand for both electricity and heating. The facility includes three micro gas turbines for power generation, combined with heat recovery and a biogas boiler for efficient production of thermal energy for heating.

“This effectively makes us self-sufficient with fossil-free energy. At the same time, we are building on many years of targeted work on energy efficiency, solar power and wind energy here at the airport,” says Ragnhild Kommisrud, Airport Manager at Svalbard Airport.

Since 2016, the airport has implemented several energy efficiency measures and established production of both solar and wind energy, including for off-grid air navigation facilities.

Temporary solution – long-term responsibility

The biogas plant is modular and can easily be relocated. Avinor views the solution as partially temporary and at the same time aims to share experience and knowledge from the project as part of the continued energy transition in Longyearbyen.

“When the main energy supply in Longyearbyen in the future has a sufficient share of renewable energy, it will be natural for us to connect to this and phase out the biogas plant. Until then, we take responsibility for reducing our own emissions as much as possible,” says Kommisrud.

Broad collaboration – strong local involvement

The energy plant has been delivered by Adigo Renewables in Ski, which has been responsible for the design and construction of the combined heat and power plant. Intergas AS in Risør has been a major component supplier, responsible for the vaporisation system. In addition, local contractors have been used for construction work (LNS Spitsbergen AS), electrical installations (JM Hansen AS) and piping for district heating distribution (Assemblin AS).

Learning period of approximately one year

The opening on 12 January marks the start of a learning and trial operation period of approximately one year, before the plant is scheduled to enter regular operation.

“This project shows how Avinor takes responsibility for emission reductions both locally and globally. Our activities impact the climate, and therefore we work systematically every day to reduce this impact – also here on Svalbard,” says Helland Strand