09 Oct 2020

Project for electrification of aviation opens new possibilities for the Kvarken region

The Kvarken Council's project FAIR had its kickoff during Tuesday and the project Future Cleantech Solutions was co-arranging the event. The FAIR project will research possible flight routes and socio-economic benefits of implementing electric aviation in the Kvarken region. It is an exciting project that opens up for new opportunities to live and do business in our region.

That communication and infrastructure is important was agreed upon by all presenters. Åsa Ågren Wikström, vice chairman of the Regional Development Committee at Region Västerbotten and board member of the Kvarken Council, says that we can do more together, through collaboration and this project and electrification of aviation is a such opportunity. Travel in the region is time consuming since the infrastructure from travelling sideways is optimal. Vaasa in Finland is, by distance, the Swedish town Umeå's closest neighbour, but travelling with the ferry takes four hours, the same time it takes to drive by car from Umeå to Hudiksvall or fly from Stockholm to Lisbon. The main objective of the FAIR project is to develop efficient business models to support an early commercialization of electric aviation and a realization of identified social benefits.

The development within electric aviation is progressing fast. Professor and aviation expert, Jorma Mäntynen at WSP says that new T/technologies creates opportunities to enhance the aviation market and new business models. Things we never thought possible a few years ago are already a reality or on their way to be, the Volocopter is on its way and Uber is interested in offering aviation taxi.

The project Future Cleantech Solutions is collaborating with FAIR by connecting local companies and technologies with the needs of the FAIR project. Future Cleantech Solutions work in connecting small and medium sized enterprises with bigger investments in the region, is well suited with the FAIR project. The hope is therefor that the two projects will be able to make use of each other and together contribute in the development of electric aviation in the region.

Despite the facilitation of digital meeting forums due to the Corona-pandemic, we will still have a need to meet each other face to face. To electrify the aviation enables more business, more opportunities to live also in the northern parts of Sweden and Finland and is a step in the right direction for the regional vision, to decrease the environmental impact. 

See the webinar here!

Read more about FAIR here!

Read more about Future Cleantech Solutions here!