Swedavia Swedish Airports presents the world's first biogas-fueled snow sweeper

For the first time Swedish airports will be using  climate-friendly biogas-fueled snow removal vehicles Swedavia will start  testing the new biogas-powered machines this Winter season.

Swedavia, which operates and develops Sweden's top ten airports, aims to achieve the goal of zero emissions of fossil carbon dioxide in its own operations during 2020. Since 2005, Swedavia reduced carbon dioxide emissions by 69 percent to 3,800 tonnes in 2013.

It is a crucial step to achieve the goal fully when the new vehicles adapt to renewable biogas. By 2016 Swedavia invests around 200 million SEK in the new vehicles. The focus is both economically and environmentally sustainable. In addition to carbon reduction, it involves a reduction in fuel costs and a standardization of the vehicles fleet with lower maintenance costs. The development work is done in conjunction with vehicle manufacturers Aebi Schmidt and Volvo. The rest of Swedavia’s vehicle fleet has already largely been replaced by electronical vehicles.

- The vast majority of our remaining fossil carbon emissions are eliminated, and at the same time  our operation is more effective. We are actively developing new sustainable technologies. As a state owned company, it is also our responsibility to lead the development in the field forward, says Torborg Chetkovich, CEO of Swedavia.

When plowing the runways at Stockholm Arlanda Airport up to ten vehicles are running in formation. They plow, sweep and inflate the 2500-3500 meters long runways clean in about eight minutes. The new vehicles, which are more than 15 meters long and with plows weighing nearly 30 tons, will plow, sweep and then blow away the remaining snow at a speed of 130 meters per second. When ten vehicles are used simultaneously they consume 400 liters of fuel per hour. Biogas will in the short term reduce vehicle emissions by 70 percent with the current involvement of diesel. Swedavia´s goal is that diesel involvement should be changed into renewable diesel by 2020. That means zero emissions of fossil carbon dioxide for the entire company.

The two motors of the vehicle, one front and one rear, have separate systems for the biogas. The front engine drives the vehicle while the rear operates a rotating roller brush and blow unit fans. Through an advanced direct injection engines can be operated entirely by snow removal on methane gas.
Swedavia has so far ordered 29 new snow sweepers. 8 will be delivered already during this Winter.

For more details, contact Swedavia Media Relations, phone no +46-10-109 10 00