Abstract
The European Union air transport sector has been repeatedly exposed to major disruptions such as the 2008 financial crisis, the COVID-19 pandemic, the war in Ukraine, and volatile energy prices. Strengthening resilience has, therefore, become a strategic priority. This study examines how strategic energy investments—covering renewable energy, sustainable aviation fuels (SAFs), electrification, hydrogen technologies, and advanced infrastructure—contribute to the resilience of the EU air transport system. The methodology integrates both primary and secondary data from EU policy documents, ICAO and IATA databases, Eurostat, and national statistics. A multi-criteria evaluation was applied using four key performance indicators: emission reduction efficiency (ER), annual exposure index (AEI), investment performance index (IPI), and net present value (NPV). Projects were assessed through Simple Additive Weighting (SAW) and the Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS), complemented by sensitivity analysis. The results show that the Pioneer project delivers the strongest environmental and financial outcomes, ranking first in ER, AEI, and NPV. Hermes performs best in job creation and social impact, while BioOstrand achieves substantial absolute CO2 reductions but lower cost efficiency. TULIPS shows limited effectiveness across all indicators. Sensitivity analysis confirmed that rankings remain robust under alternative weighting scenarios. The findings underscore that project design and alignment with resilience objectives matter more than investment size. Strategic energy investments should, therefore, be prioritized not only for decarbonization but also for their ability to reinforce both technological and socio-economic resilience, providing a reliable foundation for a sustainable and crisis-resistant EU air transport sector.
Okunevičiūtė Neverauskienė, L.; Sikorskaitė-Narkun, E.; Tvaronavičienė, M. 2025. The role of strategic energy investments in enhancing the resilience of the European Union air transport sector to economic crises. Energies. Basel : MDPI AG. eISSN 1996-1073. vol. 18, iss. 21, art. no. 5711, p. 1–23. DOI: 10.3390/en18215711. [Scopus; Science Citation Index Expanded (Web of Science)].