Sustainable fuel for the future – The air force leads the way!

Sustainable fuel for the future – The air force leads the way!

Publisert 17/01/2025

F-35 tanker bærekraftig drivstoff på Ølandet
F-35 refuels with sustainable fuel at Ørland. Photo: RENERGY

For the first time, Norwegian F-35 fighter jets have flown with 40% SAF (Sustainable Aviation Fuel) in the tank. This marks an important milestone for the Armed Forces, which are taking active steps to reduce emissions and promote sustainable solutions.

SAF is produced from biogas, hydrogen or methanol, with added non-fossil carbon to give it the same properties as fossil fuel – but with a significantly lower carbon footprint. It is a key solution for reducing emissions in aviation.

The Norwegian Armed Forces are among the few military actors globally to implement SAF in operational use.

Strengthening preparedness and industry

This initiative may help strengthen Norway’s national preparedness by stimulating local production of sustainable fuel. At the same time, it lays the foundation for a future-oriented industry, creating jobs and increasing value creation in the country.

Forsvarstopper og politikere var samlet på Ørlandet. Fra venstre: sjef i Luftforsvaret, Øivind Gunnerud, forsvarsminister Bjørn Arild Gram, klimaminister Andreas Bjelland Eriksen og direktør for Forsvarsmateriell, Gro Jære. Foto: RENERGY
Defense leaders and politicians gathered at Ørland. From left: Chief of the Air Force, Øivind Gunnerud; Minister of Defense, Bjørn Arild Gram; Minister of Climate and Environment, Andreas Bjelland Eriksen; and Director of the Norwegian Defence Materiel Agency, Gro Jære. Photo: RENERGY

Sustainability and preparedness

– The Armed Forces have exactly the volume and long-term demand for SAF needed to trigger investments in large-scale production facilities, says RENERGY Cluster Manager, Thomas Bjørdal.

This will ensure supply security, a defense sector with reduced emissions, and the Armed Forces as a driver and enabler of emission cuts in civil aviation, shipping and industry, he adds.

The Chief of the Air Force, Major General Rolf Folland, emphasizes that this is a milestone combining the need for sustainability with the requirement for preparedness.

Robust national fuel production will give us a strategic advantage, he says.

The Armed Forces’ initiative shows how technological innovation and national climate goals can go hand in hand with security needs.

The decisiveness shown by the Air Force today is exactly what we need more of. If the procurement process for SAF is made equally decisive, we will have a measure that can scale, create significant ripple effects, and deliver real emission reductions, concludes Bjørdal.


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