Kempower’s sales and service partner, DRiiV Solutions, has delivered charging infrastructure to Stavanger Airport in Norway to trial zero and low-emission aviation.
The charger will power a new fully-electric plane that will fly between Stavanger Airport and Bergen Airport from autumn 2025.
The news follows the Norwegian Airport operator Avinor and the Civil Aviation Authority of Norway entered a collaboration to establish Norway as an international test arena for zero and low-emission aviation. The initiative aims to accelerate the transition to sustainable aviation through demonstration flights and infrastructure development.
The regular test route between Stavanger Airport and Bergen Airport is the first project to be launched as part of the initiative. The cargo flights will be carried out by a fully electric ALIA aircraft from the American aircraft manufacturer BETA and flown by Bristow Norway.
In a project led by DRiiV Solutions, a Kempower Control Unit, connected to a Kempower Power Unit, capable of delivering up to 300kW has been installed at Stavanger Airport to power the electric aircraft.
The DRiiV team devised a unique charging set-up, burying the Kempower Control Unit’s 5m-long (16ft) charging cable. The Control Unit itself is kept in a box that can be heated, protecting it from snow. This design makes the charger usable year-round.
The aircraft had its first test flight on 8 August with the trial flights scheduled to begin in early autumn.
Kristoffer Hurv, Managing Director at DRiiV Solutions, said:
“The electrification of road vehicles is seeing tremendous success and now it’s time for the aviation sector to join the movement. Norway is an attractive market for early introduction of new technologies and will be an important player in pushing us towards achieving fossil-free aviation by 2050.”
“This is also a great example of how we stand out by delivering solutions tailored to all types of electric vehicles – whether it’s aircraft, heavy-duty trucks, or passenger cars. We’re also very proud and grateful for our strong partnership with Kempower, which makes projects like this possible.”
Erik Kanerva, Kempower’s Sales Director for North Europe, said:
“We are proud to support this world-leading trial with our valued partner, DRiiV Solutions, which has been working with us for just over a year.
“Throughout this time, the DRiiV Solutions team has steadily deepened its knowledge of our products and solutions, demonstrating a strong commitment to quality and innovation. This airplane project reflects DRiiV Solutions’ vision and expertise, and we are incredibly proud that they have chosen us as their trusted supplier. We are excited to see how the trials develop, as Norway continues to push the development of electric aviation forward.”
Photo courtesy of Camilla Walla/Avinor.
