From Sunlight to a Jet Engine: Synhelion's Solar Fuel Technology Debuts with SWISS
SWISS integrates solar fuel from Synhelion into a flight for the first time, a technical step in validating this emerging sustainable technology.
Swiss International Air Lines (SWISS), a part of the Lufthansa Group, has carried out the first integration of solar fuel into one of its regular operations. This fuel, provided by the Swiss technology company Synhelion, represents one of the industry's long-term bets for the decarbonization of the aviation sector.
The operation involved the delivery of a 190-liter batch of synthetic crude, produced at Synhelion's DAWN industrial demonstration plant in Jülich, Germany. This crude was transported to a refinery in the northern part of the country, where it was processed to obtain certified Jet A-1 aviation fuel. Finally, it was introduced into the supply network at Hamburg Airport for use by SWISS.
The volume used is equivalent to about seven percent of the fuel required for a flight between Hamburg and Zurich. While the quantity is small, the operation's purpose was to validate the logistics and refining chain. The successful integration demonstrates the compatibility of this synthetic Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) with existing infrastructure, an indispensable requirement for its future scaling.
Solar Fuel (PtL)
Solar kerosene is a Power-to-Liquid (PtL) synthetic fuel. Its production is based on using concentrated solar energy to generate very high-temperature process heat. This heat is used to dissociate water and carbon dioxide (CO₂) into a synthesis gas (syngas), a mixture of hydrogen and carbon monoxide. Through the Fischer-Tropsch process, this gas is converted into liquid hydrocarbons, including "drop-in" kerosene that is chemically identical to its petroleum-derived counterpart.
"This first delivery of Synhelion's solar fuel marks a step in our collaboration," stated Jens Fehlinger, CEO of SWISS. In his statement, Fehlinger highlighted the investment in a Swiss company and the airline's role in developing new technologies.
For his part, Philipp Furler, co-founder and co-CEO of Synhelion, noted that "sustainable fuels are a key lever in reducing air transport's reliance on fossil fuels" and described the delivery as a concrete action towards scaling their technology.
Regulation, Costs, and Next Steps
The development of these synthetic fuels is partly driven by regulatory mandates such as the European Union's ReFuelEU Aviation initiative. This regulation establishes a minimum percentage of SAF use at European airports, with specific sub-targets for synthetic fuels like Synhelion's, which must account for 1.2% of total aviation fuel by 2030.
The main challenge now lies in scaling production to achieve commercial volumes and reducing costs, which are currently several times higher than those of fossil kerosene. SWISS and Synhelion are working to obtain full certification of the process under the EU Renewable Energy Directive, which requires a life-cycle emissions reduction of at least 70%. Synhelion's commercial target aims for market entry from 2027.
The airline maintains its role as a strategic partner of Synhelion since 2020 and an investor since 2022, as part of the Lufthansa Group's strategy to diversify its SAF supply sources.
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