The Swiss energy company Synhelion recently inaugurated the first industrial plant for the production of solar fuels. The aim is to make the transport sector more sustainable – especially aviation.
As climate change progresses, the mobility sector is changing. In the medium term, classic combustion engines are no longer likely to play a role. But electromobility also has disadvantages. For many, sustainable, synthetic fuels therefore seem to be a solution. The Swiss company Synhelion reached this area recently reached a milestone.
On June 20, 2024, the company inaugurated the world’s first industrial plant for the production of synthetic fuels using solar energy in Jülich. The plant is called DAWN and shows that the technology for producing solar fuels is ready for large-scale use.
The aim is to decarbonise the transport sector, especially aviation, in the medium term and reduce emissions.
Synhelion: Green fuel production with solar tower
The system includes a 20 meter high solar tower and a mirror field. The tower contains a solar receiver, a thermochemical reactor and a thermal energy storage unit. According to the company, this structure is intended to enable cost-efficient production of solar fuels around the clock.
DAWN is the first facility to demonstrate the entire technology from concentrated sunlight to synthetic liquid fuel on an industrial scale. The annual production volume is several thousand liters of fuel. Synhelion wants to produce the first synthetic fuels this year.
Locally, the company produces a synthetic crude oil known as Syncrude. Classic refineries process this into certified fuels. Synhelion therefore not only produces sustainable kerosene for aviation, but also gasoline and diesel for road and shipping applications.
First commercial plant planned in Spain
The solar fuels can replace fossil fuels and are fully compatible with the existing global fuel infrastructure. Synhelion plans to build its first commercial facility in Spain from 2025. Ideally, this should produce around 1,000 tons of fuel annually.
Future plants could be significantly larger and offer higher production capacity. Synhelion aims to achieve an annual production volume of approximately one million tons of solar fuel within ten years. Then, in addition to electric vehicles, classic combustion engines could continue to be on the road in an environmentally friendly manner.
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