Synhelion Launches First Industrial-Scale Plant for Solar-Powered Jet Fuels in Germany

Dawn Rises on Solar-to-Jet Fuels as Synhelion Opens Its First Industrial-Scale Plant

Swiss solar fuels innovator Synhelion has launched what it claims to be the world’s first industrial-scale facility for producing synthetic fuels using solar heat. The plant, named DAWN, is situated in Jülich, located in Germany’s central-west region. It aims to generate sustainable aviation fuel and non-fossil products for road and marine transportation by converting reflected solar radiation into high-temperature process heat. This heat is then used to produce synthetic gas, or syngas, which is ultimately transformed into liquid fuel.

DAWN is projected to produce several thousand liters of renewable transportation fuel annually for ‘showcase’ purposes, with plans to commence construction of a commercial-scale plant in Spain in 2025, targeting an output of approximately 1,000 tonnes of fuel per year. Synhelion has ambitious goals for additional plants, aiming for a total production capacity of one million tonnes of solar fuel within the next decade.

“The inauguration of DAWN marks the beginning of the era of solar fuels, a pivotal moment for sustainable transportation,” stated Dr. Philipp Furler, co-founder and CEO of Synhelion. “Our founding vision of producing renewable fuels from solar energy is becoming a reality.”

The centerpiece of the Synhelion facility is a 20-meter-high tower that houses a solar receiver, a thermochemical reactor, and thermal energy storage. The tower is surrounded by a field of mirrors, known as heliostats, which reflect sunlight onto the solar receiver. This process converts the radiation into high-temperature heat that is directed into the reactor to produce syngas using hydrogen and carbon. Subsequently, the syngas is converted into alternative jet fuel, gasoline, or diesel through standard gas-to-liquids technology. Excess heat is stored in the thermal energy chamber, allowing the plant to continuously generate new fuels.

Founded in 2016 as a commercial spin-off from ETH Zurich, Synhelion first demonstrated solar heat fuel production in 2019 with a mini refinery on the university’s roof. Since then, the company has focused on scaling up its sun-to-liquid technology.

The DAWN facility was built with support from various investors and international partners, including Lufthansa Group, Swiss International Airlines, Zurich Airport, Pilatus Aircraft, Italy’s Eni energy company, Switzerland’s AMAG Group, the global construction and materials firm Cemex, SMS Group, and Wood. Funding also came from Germany’s Federal Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate Protection through its Energy Research Programme.

In the first half of this year, Synhelion achieved several milestones, beginning with the completion of its solar tower in February, designed to minimize shadowing on the mirror field. In March, the Fischer-Tropsch conversion unit arrived to facilitate the transformation of syngas into renewable fuel. By May, the key components of the solar fuel technology were delivered and installed in the tower, culminating in the installation of the mirror field in June to direct solar rays into the tower.

DAWN will produce synthetic crude oil, or syncrude, which will be sent to conventional refineries for processing into certified fuels. The upcoming Spanish plant is expected to generate around 1,000 tonnes of fuel annually, while Synhelion anticipates that future facilities will significantly surpass the output of the initial two plants.

“Solar fuels can directly replace fossil fuels,” Synhelion explained, “and are fully compatible with the existing global fuel infrastructure, from storage and transportation to internal combustion and aircraft engines.”

Hartmut Höppner, State Secretary of the German Federal Ministry for Digital and Transport, emphasized the necessity of alternatives to fossil fuels to meet climate goals in the transport sector. “The potential of renewable synthetic fuels is immense,” he remarked. “The establishment of Germany’s first solar fuels plant is a clear indication of how technological innovation can help reduce CO2 emissions.”

Heike Birlenbach, Chief Commercial Officer of Swiss International Air Lines (SWISS), noted that large-scale adoption of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) is critical for reducing carbon emissions in aviation. “The inauguration of DAWN represents a significant milestone in this journey,” she added. “As strategic partners of Synhelion, Lufthansa Group and SWISS are proud to support the market introduction of solar fuels and congratulate Synhelion on this remarkable achievement.”

In 2022, Synhelion secured CHF 22 million ($24 million) from both existing and new strategic investors, including SWISS, to facilitate the construction of DAWN. Additionally, a project with the University of Florida aimed at developing large-scale production of green hydrogen from solar energy received $2.7 million in funding from the US Department of Energy’s Solar Energy Technologies Office. This project focuses on utilizing concentrating solar power (CSP) infrastructure and solar heat to split water into hydrogen and oxygen.