Synhelion’s solar fuel powers steamboat in world first

Zurich, May 15, 2025

The Lake Lucerne Navigation Company (SGV) AG has used solar fuel from Synhelion for the first time. The steamboat Gallia was symbolically fueled with solar diesel from Synhelion’s industrial scale plant DAWN – a milestone for more sustainable mobility on the water.

The over 110-year-old steamboat was symbolically fueled by Synhelion with the first barrel of solar diesel. The solar fuel comes from Synhelion’s first production plant DAWN in Jülich, Germany, which has been producing sustainable, synthetic fuels on an industrial scale since summer 2024. The fuel is fully compatible with conventional combustion engines. This makes SGV the first shipping company in the world to use Synhelion’s solar fuel. The symbolic first fueling took place as part of the launch of SGV’s new premium experience “Legends of Lake Lucerne.”

Renewable fuels key to sustainable shipping
The renewable fuel used in this historic ride was produced at DAWN, Synhelion’s first industrial-scale demonstration plant. With plant DAWN, Synhelion has successfully validated its technology in an industrial setting, proving that the technology is now ready for large-scale deployment. Synhelion uses solar heat to drive a thermochemical process that turns a biogenic carbon source and water into synthetic drop-in fuel, namely sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), gasoline, and diesel. Unlike fossil fuels, Synhelion’s solar fuels are nearly CO₂-neutral, emitting only as much CO₂ as was used to produce them. Synhelion’s technology presents a solution available today for defossilizing transportation without requiring modifications to existing infrastructure, engines, or vehicles.

SGV a pioneer in shipping
The navigation company plans to regularly purchase solar fuel from Synhelion in the future and has already signed a five-year offtake agreement. As a pioneer customer, SGV is making an important contribution to scaling up Synhelion’s technology. “Sustainability is a key priority for us. Synhelion’s solar fuel offers us a concrete solution to reduce our CO₂ emissions,” says Stefan Schulthess, Managing Director of SGV.

Further applications for Synhelion fuels planned
By successfully starting fuel production at its industrial plant DAWN, Synhelion has demonstrated that its technology is ready for market ramp-up. The fuels produced at DAWN will now be gradually introduced into other means of transport to showcase their potential in driving the transition to a net-zero transportation sector. The world’s first motorcycle ride powered by Synhelion’s solar gasoline already took place recently. At the same time, the company is working intensively to expand its production capacities in order to supply commercially relevant quantities of renewable fuels in the future.

For the full English press release, see here.
For the full German press release, see here.

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