Swiss International Air Lines (SWISS) has become the first airline globally to integrate solar-produced synthetic fuel into its regular flight operations, using fuel manufactured by Swiss clean-tech company Synhelion.
The first 190-liter barrel of synthetic crude oil produced at Synhelion’s DAWN facility was processed into certified Jet-A-1 aviation fuel at a refinery in Northern Germany. The fuel was subsequently fed into the fuel infrastructure at Hamburg Airport and used in a SWISS-operated flight to Zurich. The solar fuel represented approximately seven percent of the total fuel required for the journey.
“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. This is the first time that solar fuel has been used in civil aviation.”
Synhelion’s solar fuel is produced using solar heat to drive the chemical conversion of CO₂ and water into synthetic crude. The integration of this fuel into existing refinery and airport infrastructure is viewed by stakeholders as critical for scaling the technology globally.
“Sustainable fuels are a key lever in reducing air transport’s reliance on fossil fuels,” said Synhelion co-founder and co-CEO Philipp Furler. “Our delivery of this first barrel to SWISS may be a symbolic action. But it’s a concrete one, too, towards a more sustainable aviation sector.”
SWISS has partnered with Synhelion since 2020 and became an investor in 2022. The airline said further steps, including sustainability certification and scale-up, are underway to facilitate commercial production starting in 2027. A life cycle assessment by an independent institution confirmed that the fuel from DAWN significantly exceeds the EU Renewable Energy Directive’s target of 70% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions compared to conventional kerosene.
