Swiss International Air Lines (SWISS) and its new clean fuel emerge in the journey towards sustainable aviation. The airline became the world’s first to integrate solar fuel, developed by the clean-tech company Synhelion, in its regular flight operations. It marks a pivotal step towards reducing the aviation industry’s carbon footprint.

Clean Fuel From the Sun

Synhelion produces sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) from sunlight. The process reportedly harnesses concentrated solar heat to create syngas (synthesis gas), which is then synthesized into kerosene through industrial methods. Synhelion calls it “sun-to-liquid” fuel, saying it closes the carbon cycle. According to the company, its combustion only releases CO2 that was absorbed during the manufacturing process.

Synhelion delivered a 190-liter barrel of synthetic crude oil derived from solar energy. The company transported it to a refinery in Northern Germany, where it was processed into certified Jet-A-1 aviation fuel. SWISS “seamlessly” integrated the fuel into its operational infrastructure at Hamburg Airport in Germany.

The smooth integration of the solar fuel confirmed that the technology is ready for broader applications.

“This first delivery of Synhelion’s solar fuel marks a genuine milestone in our long-standing partnership,” said SWISS CEO Jens Fehlinger. “We have intentionally invested in a Swiss start-up, and we are delighted to celebrate this landmark achievement together.”

Fehlinger noted that this is the first time solar fuel has been used in civil aviation. “We are truly proud to be playing such a pioneering role, in partnership with Synhelion, in driving and developing this vital new technology for a more sustainable aviation sector,” the CEO added.

Philipp Furler, co-founder and co-CEO of Synhelion, emphasized the fuel’s potential to secure a sustainable future for the aviation industry.

A Sustainable Future

“This milestone brings us one step closer to globally scaling up our solar fuel technology,” he said. “And we’re very grateful to have such invaluable support from our partners at SWISS and the Lufthansa Group as we continue on this journey.”

As the two companies focus on the future, they realize how important sustainable fuels like Synhelion’s solar fuel will be for the aviation sector. Specifically, to meet ambitious carbon reduction goals. Looking ahead, the companies must develop factories for continuous production and scaling capacities. They believe the fuel will hit the commercial market in 2027.

However, the next immediate step is getting both the production process and the fuel sustainably certified.