To meet the increased demands for electricity for charging at airports, the partners in the collaboration project YourFlight will investigate how electricity supply can be best provided.
“Electric-powered aircraft could be part of the future of aviation to reduce the use of fossil fuels in the aviation industry. As more and more electric vehicles need to be charged, electricity consumption at airports is expected to increase, which also relates to issues of the electrical grid, power generation, and energy storage at airports. The research project aims to collaborate to investigate how to meet the electricity demand at future airports with more electric aviation, says Martin Lindberg, PhD student in the Department of Electricity at Uppsala University and who works within the project.
In the aviation sector, an exciting electrification revolution is underway, with many airports across the country actively working to increase electrification and sustainability in aviation. Currently, only two-seater electric aircraft are certified for regular traffic, but rapid developments in battery technology are opening doors for larger electric passenger aircraft to be electrified in the coming years.
However, these new electric aircraft pose high demands on airports in terms of access to electricity for charging. To meet this need, there are various alternatives, such as expanding the power grid to airports, complementing with local battery storage, or generating renewable electricity on-site.
The Project, YourFlight will investigate three key questions central to the transition to electric flight and more sustainable aviation. Firstly, it will explore how airports can meet the increasing need for electricity for electric aircraft and vehicles, which may involve the use of battery storage, expansion of the power grid, or other innovative solutions. Secondly, it will look at sustainable innovations in battery-powered electric aircraft, eVTOLs, and charging infrastructure that can promote electrified travel. Finally, the project will analyze how national conditions affect charging strategies for electric aviation at airports and what new strategies can be developed to meet these conditions and needs.
At Skellefteå Airport, a mobile battery storage will be used for experiments and simulations to provide a more realistic analysis of the electrical system at an airport.
In addition to driving technical innovations, this initiative is also expected to strengthen collaboration and knowledge exchange between Uppsala University and Skellefteå Airport through the ELIS program.
The project runs for four years and is funded by the Swedish Transport Administration's R&D portfolio for the aviation sector.
ELIS program - Skellefteå Science City's development program for electric aviation - aims to become a leading hub for research and development of electrified aviation in Sweden and beyond.
The take-off and landing area and surrounding areas have now been paved with materials that significantly reduce climate impact. By using Asfalt Zero – a climate-smart asphalt made with pine oil – Skellefteå is setting an example for environmentally friendly infrastructure.
It started with an idea on a post-it note two years ago, and by the end of this year, the idea will become a reality. Skellefteå Droneport is one of the first droneports in Europe being built in an urban environment. The Droneport will be a physical space for development, research, education, and commercialization of drone-related solutions.
If everything goes according to plan, Skellefteå can make history in terms of electrified aviation. Here is the world's most sustainable pilot academy, a test bed for battery- and hydrogen-powered flights and soon one of Europe's largest droneports. The team at the ELIS program with Henrik Littorin, Magnus Wiklund and Annelie Viksten tell us more about the continued plans for electric flights in Skellefteå.