Swiss has started using jet fuel produced using solar energy, with an initial delivery from clean-technology specialist Synhelion.
The carrier has shown off a 190-litre barrel of synthetic crude oil from Synhelion’s Dawn plant at Julich, west of Cologne.
This crude oil has been transferred to a refinery in northern Germany for processing into Jet-A1 fuel suitable for flight operations, and piped to Swiss’s operation via a Hamburg supply system.
Swiss acknowledges that the “symbolic” fuel supplied amounts to just 7% of that required for a Hamburg-Zurich flight.
“It may sound little, but it’s a landmark for the aviation sector, confirming that Synhelion’s technology works and is ready for the next steps ahead,” it states.
Swiss disclosed in late 2022 that it had taken a financial stake in Synhelion, while aircraft manufacturer Pilatus has also become an investor.
“This first delivery of Synhelion’s solar fuel marks a genuine milestone in our long-standing partnership,” says Swiss chief executive Jens Fehlinger.
“This is the first time that solar fuel has been used in civil aviation.”
Synhelion co-chief Philipp Furler adds that the initial delivery to Swiss is a “concrete” action, marking progress towards sustainable aviation.
“This milestone brings us one step closer to globally scaling-up our solar fuel technology,” he says.
Swiss says facilities are being developed to adequate production and the carrier envisions commercial market entry from 2027.
It says an independent analysis confirms fuels from the Dawn facility can “significantly” exceed the threshold of 70% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, compared with kerosene, laid out by European Union renewable energy directives.
“As a next step, Synhelion and Swiss are now jointly driving forward the sustainability certification of the production process and the fuel,” the carrier adds.
