Anna Björk Bjarnadóttir, chief service and operating officer (CSOO) at Keflavik International Airport, discusses the moderated session ‘Challenges and benefits of integrating alternative fuels in airport development’ that she will participate in at Passenger Terminal Conference 2025, which is being held in Madrid, Spain, on April 8, 9 and 10. 
What is your panel about?
This panel discussion addresses the critical climate risks facing the aviation industry, with a focus on transitioning to alternative fuel technologies, especially hydrogen infrastructure. Participants will explore the challenges and opportunities in adopting alternative fuels such as electric and/or hydrogen as a sustainable solution to mitigate climate change impacts. The session highlights the five key risk areas – spatial, operational, safety, stakeholder and financial – that airports must navigate. Featuring real-world case studies and actionable insights, the discussion emphasizes the role of innovative strategies and infrastructure development in driving resilience and sustainability within the sector.
What are the main challenges airports face when integrating alternative fuels into operations?
Typically, the challenges will be costs of infrastructure for storage and distribution, limited availability and supply chain constraints, as well as regulatory hurdles. Then, you always have to consider resistance to change from different stakeholders. As Iceland is a nation of only 400,000 people, far out on an island in the middle of the Atlantic, the challenges can be somewhat different.
Keflavík International Airport is the main gateway to Iceland, and the only airport in our country that can fulfil the task of being the vital connectivity hub. Domestic production of SAF is an unviable choice in Iceland, and the vast majority of SAF would likely need to be imported under current technology – or we would have to import feedstocks for production.
Then again, were the ingredients available in Iceland, production would require an almost 40% increase in new electricity generation just to support it. The cost of importing SAF is likely to be high, in addition to the carbon footprint of such import. This, along with policies aimed at congested mainland Europe or altogether different emphasis on emissions in the US, could reduce the competitiveness, not only on Keflavik Airport, but on Iceland as a country. The magnitude and quality of air connectivity via Iceland is highly linked to the country’s capability of enhancing GDP and prosperity.
How can alternative fuels impact sustainability in airport development projects?
In general, airport emissions account for about 10-20% of the aviation industry’s emissions, coming from various sources, such as ground support equipment and ground transportation for passengers, staff and cargo; energy consumption powering the airport facilities; waste management; and finally emissions from building and expanding airport infrastructure. All these need to be addressed, where alternative fuels, particularly SAF, can significantly enhance sustainability in airport development projects in several ways.
In Iceland, where we are fortunate to have renewable energy to power the airport facilities, 65% of our emissions come from our fleet of heavy sweepers and other big vehicles for snow removal and de-icing on the runway system, as well as fire fighter trucks and other ground vehicles. We are now in the face of changing from diesel to biodiesel. We’re also very closely following the development of technology for alternative fuels such as electricity and/or hydrogen.
What role does government regulation and policy play in airport fuel management?
Aviation needs to remain competitive and at the same time reach net zero, but the industry cannot ensure this alone. Government regulations and policies, on both international and national levels, play a key role in enabling the exchange into sustainable fuels for aviation as a whole.
The European aviation industry alliance Destination 2050 has made a firm call for action toward the European Commission (EC), where they argue that the industry’s effective and successful transition to net zero is not achievable without more immediate EU public support. The support needs to be in the form of strong policies and streamlined regulations, funding and rapid certification of new technologies, stable investment framework and policies, and plans that account for low-carbon energy and critical raw material needs.
How do you foresee alternative fuel technology evolving in the airport sector?
Environmental change and the need for sustainable solutions have already sparked a lot of technological innovation and will, without a doubt, continue to do so. It will be exciting to see how development and adoption of SAFs can further drive innovation, fuel production technologies, supply chain logistics and airport operations overall. However, the present geopolitical situation could cause some stagnation, or even a setback, in innovation and development in the sustainability sector due to a change in national priorities.
What opportunities are there for airports to collaborate with airlines and suppliers to adopt sustainable fuel solutions?
Partnerships across the whole industry are vital to drive adoption of SAF. Airports bring to the collaboration their role as airport ecosystem enablers. They provide space and on-airport utility infrastructure such as pipelines, hydrant systems, etc. What is also extremely important, regarding collaboration in the airport ecosystem, is collaboration culture and collective use of real-time data.
We take our role as an airport ecosystem enabler very seriously and focus firmly on catalyzing a constructive and collaborative airport culture on one hand, and a central open source of real-time data for successful operations of the airport on the other. In my mind, these two factors will prove a valuable foundation for successful collaboration in driving sustainability, as it is in airport operations as a whole.
Partnering with airlines and suppliers on policy advocacy can help secure government support and funding for sustainable fuel initiatives. Airports, airlines and suppliers can work together to influence regulations and policies that promote the adoption of SAF, as the example of Destination 2050 alliance shows. The same goes for raising awareness about the benefits of SAF among passengers and the general public. This can include educational campaigns, sustainability reports and showcasing successful SAF initiatives
Furthermore, airports can host pilot programs and demonstrations of SAF use in collaboration with airlines and suppliers. These initiatives can provide valuable data and insights, helping to refine and scale up sustainable fuel solutions.
To hear more valuable industry insights from top aviation executives, book a conference pass for Passenger Terminal Conference, taking place on April 8, 9 & 10, 2025, in Madrid, Spain.
