Sustainable Energy Transformations in Aviation

The “Sustainable Energy Transformations in Aviation (SETA)” project aims to contribute to an acceleration of sustainable energy transformations in aviation, with a focus on bio-based jet fuels and electric aircrafts. The project will be exploring the socio-technical opportunities and barriers related to these transformations.

Aircraft landing, sunset

The Swedish government has set ambitious targets to become carbon neutral by 2045, including targets for a fossil-free transport sector. Aviation plays a key role here. The vision is for all domestic flights to be fossil free by 2030 and all flights leaving from Sweden to be fossil free by 2045. Sweden is already a global leader in sustainable energy transformations in aviation, with major Swedish airlines offering their customers the possibility to purchase bio-based sustainable jet fuel and major initiatives for electric aircrafts.

To achieve the project's purpose, we have 3 doctoral students at KTH and Linköping University who are researching the following research questions:

What are the economic effects of a sustainable energy transformations in the Swedish aviation sector?
From a life cycle perspective, what are the ecological risks and opportunities linked to energy transformations in the Swedish aviation sector and what strategies may be necessary to achieve Sweden's energy and climate goals?
What policy-related tools are needed to promote sustainable energy transformations in the Swedish aviation sector and why?
What consumer preferences exist and are relevant for a sustainable energy transformations in Swedish aviation and why?

Policy Briefs

Policy Brief Sustainable Aviation Fuels 2025-09-25 (PDF, 394,7 kB)
Policy Brief Electric aviation 2025-09-25 (PDF, 358,8 kB)

Publications

Kulanovic, A., Raghunatha, A., Nordensvärd, J., Thollander, P., forthcoming. Analyzing Discursive Policy Leadership Using Regime Narratives in Sweden’s Emerging Drone Transport for Sustainability Transition. Sustainable Futures, in press.

Christley, E., 2025. Performing legitimacy in electric aviation: The innovation journey of Heart Aerospace. Energy Research & Social Science, 127, 104261. doi: 10.1016/j.erss.2025.104261.

Christley, E., Lai, Y. Y., Björner Brauer, H. & Almqvist Ingersoll, A. 2025. A beginner’s guide to reflexivity in energy research and social science. Energy Research & Social Science, 127, 104267.

Christley, E., Karakaya, E., Urban, F., 2024. Analysing transitions in-the-making: A case study of aviation in Sweden. Environmental Innovation and Societal Transitions. Vol. 50(2024): 100790.

Christley, E. & Ullström, S., 2024. Desired or contested futures? Competing discourse-coalitions for sustainable aviation in Sweden. Critical Policy Studies, 1-22.

Kulanovic, A. & Nordensvärd, J., 2021. Exploring the political discursive lock-ins on sustainable aviation in Sweden. Energies, 14(21).

Lai, Y. Y. & Björklund, A., 2025. Prospective life cycle assessment of future Swedish hydrogen powered aviation pathways. Transportation Research Part D: Transport and Environment, 146, 104887.

Lai, Y.Y. & Karakaya, E., 2024. Rethinking the sustainability of transitions: An illustrative case of burden-shifting and sociotechnical dynamics of aviation fuel in Sweden. Energy Research & Social Science, 113, p.103574.

Lai, Y. Y. & Laurent, A., 2025. Can hydrogen powered air travel grow within the planetary limits? Sustainable Production and Consumption, 59, pp. 143 160.

Lai, Y.Y., Christley, E., Kulanovic, A., Teng, C.C., Björklund, A., Nordensvärd, J., Karakaya, E., Urban, F., 2022a. Analysing the opportunities and challenges for mitigating the climate impact of aviation: A narrative review. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Vol. 156(3): 111972.

Lai, Y.Y., Karakaya, E. & Björklund, A., 2022b. Employing a socio-technical system approach in prospective life cycle assessment: A case of large-scale Swedish sustainable aviation fuels. Frontiers in Sustainability, 3.

Urban, F., Nurdiawati, A., Harahap, F., Morozovska, K., 2024. Decarbonizing maritime shipping and aviation: Disruption, regime resistance and breaking through carbon lock-in and path dependency in hard-to-abate transport sectors. Environmental Innovation and Societal Transitions, Vol. 52 (2024) 100854.

Urban, F. and Nordensvärd, J., 2023. Handbook on Climate Change and Technology. Edward Elgar Publishing, London. Chapter on energy transitions in aviation, co-authored by Aneta Kulanovic.