Finavia’s Helsinki Airport operations reach net-zero carbon emissions

According to Finavia, “Neste MY Renewable Diesel”, powering the machinery and emergency power generators at Helsinki Airport since 2024, has played a significant role in reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.

Finavia’s operations at its 20 airports have been carbon neutral since 2019. Reaching net-zero targets at Helsinki Airport is the result of long-term and systematic work. The requirements for reaching net-zero level under the ACA program include that carbon dioxide emissions are reduced by at least 90 percent, residual emissions are neutralized, and that an external party verifies the emissions data and operations. Helsinki Airport is the fifth Finavia airport to receive the net-zero certificate. In 2023, four Lapland airports received the certificate. The use of Neste’s renewable diesel has been central to reducing our emissions, said Henri Hansson, SVP of Sustainability, Technology, and Safety at Finavia.

Decaronize hard-to-electrify vehicles

At Finavia’s airports, machinery accounts for 80 percent of the company’s fuel use. This includes, for example, high-powered sweepers and snowplows that are used to clear runways and maintain the airport’s apron.

They represent a heavy machinery segment in which electrification is very difficult due to high power requirements.

With Neste MY Renewable Diesel, produced for the Finnish market from 100 percent waste and residues, Finavia has reduced GHG emissions from its machinery and emergency power generators at the Helsinki Airport by 90 percent on average when emissions over the fuel’s life cycle are compared with fossil diesel.

Neste’s renewable diesel can be used to reduce GHG emissions in existing fleets and machinery without additional investments in or modifications to existing equipment.

Finavia has been a forerunner among airports, systematically reducing emissions from its operations. I hope that the use of renewable diesel and the impressive results achieved through our long-term collaboration will serve as an encouraging example widely and across industries, said Joni Pihlström, VP of B2B Sales, Marketing and Services at Neste.

With Finavia’s climate program and in addition to the Lapland and Helsinki airports, the use of Neste MY Renewable Diesel will be extended to all other Finavia airports during 2025.