Norwegian has launched a new Danish domestic daily route between Aalborg and Copenhagen that will be the first in Europe to use sustainable aviation fuel on a permanent basis. A 40% blend will be used on all departures in 2026 and 2027, with the SAF consisting of European raw materials and produced by Finnish energy company St1 at its biorefinery in Gothenburg, Sweden. The route has been created through a tender under the Danish government’s ‘Green Aviation’ agreement in which the state is actively supporting the use of more SAF. Emissions from the route are expected to be reduced by more than 3,000 tonnes of CO2 on a lifecycle basis. Meanwhile, Norwegian is fighting through the courts a NOK 400 million ($40m) penalty incurred for non-compliance with the EU Emissions Trading System during Covid-19 and the airline’s reconstruction process.

Norwegian says the purpose of the new route is to speed up production of SAF and make it more accessible through demand and building dedicated supply chains, while strengthening Europe’s security of supply. In addition to the airline and St1, the collaboration includes Aalborg Airport, fuel supplier DCC & Shell Aviation Denmark and Norwegian fuel supplier AFSN. The SAF, certified under ISCC sustainability standards, is sold via DCC & Shell Aviation, with AFSN facilitating the transaction structure.

You can read the full article