Electric Aircraft Charging to Be Demonstrated at Skellefteå Airport

Skellefteå Airport continues to lead the development of sustainable aviation. Within the framework of the research project “A System Demonstration of Energy Storage and Charging at an Airport for Electric Aircraft,” a series of tests will be conducted to show how battery-based energy storage systems can support aircraft charging while strengthening the airport’s role as both a transport and energy hub. This aligns with the Swedish Transport Administration’s interest in increasing robustness and resilience in aviation infrastructure.

The project aims to demonstrate how energy storage can contribute to a more robust and flexible infrastructure for electric aviation. It focuses both on ensuring sufficient power supply for aircraft charging and on exploring how airports can be integrated into local energy systems in a smart and sustainable way.

“Doing things for real is often crucial. The operational experience we can generate through the project’s practical tests is expected to help lower the barriers to introducing electric aviation in Sweden,” says Henrik Littorin at Arctic Aviation Hub.

Through collaboration between local and regional stakeholders, the project will carry out physical tests and simulations in real-world conditions at Skellefteå Airport, reducing uncertainty about the technical and operational performance of high-power charging for electric aircraft. The results will provide guidance for other regional airports planning for electric aircraft charging, both in the initial stages and during future scaling.

Skellefteå Airport, which through Arctic Aviation Hub has already established itself as a test node for electric aviation, offers unique conditions for conducting various tests within the project. The site provides access to a commercial airport, a pilot academy with electric aircraft in its fleet, a powerful 1 MW charging infrastructure, a droneport, and test opportunities in cold and challenging weather conditions. Skellefteå Airport and Arctic Aviation Hub have also established collaborations between research organizations, commercial partners, and municipal and regional authorities that will be valuable to the project.