Creating a sustainable future for generations to come
Powering net-zero with solar fuels
Imagine a world where transportation fuels are made from sunlightrenewable energy. At Synhelion, we’re turning that vision into reality by harnessing the power of the sun to produce clean, sustainable drop-in fuels.
Our journey is defined by rapid scaling and a clear objective: producing large quantities of solar fuels at competitive costs to significantly reduce CO₂ emissions in the transportation sector. To achieve this, we have developed highly efficient thermochemical Sun-to-Liquid processes that convert solar energy into sustainable fuels.
Now, we are putting this vision into practice. We are building solar fuel plants and have a clear roadmap to rapidly scale production.
Step by step, we are closing the carbon cycle and driving the world toward a net-zero future.
DAWN: first industrial-scale plant
DAWN is the first plant in the world that produces solar fuels at an industrial scale. This facility demonstrates the entire Sun-to-Liquid process, proving that large-scale solar fuel production is not just possible, but a reality.
RISE: first commercial plant
Located in Spain, RISE will be our first commercial solar fuel facility. This plant will produce 1’000 tons of solar fuel annually, significantly surpassing the output of DAWN, and taking us a step closer to a sustainable energy future.
SHINE: first competitive plant
SHINE will be our first large-scale commercial plant with a fuel production capacity of 100’000 tons per year, producing fuel at competitive prices with other renewable fuel technologies. Through the replication of plant SHINE, we unlock a net-zero future for the transportation sector, producing millions of tons of fuel.
Our roadmap
2014
Proof of concept
After decades of top research at ETH Zurich, we produced the world’s first solar jet fuel from H2O and CO2 in the lab.
2019
Small-scale demonstration
We demonstrated our technology under real field conditions in the center of Zurich and produced the world’s first carbon-neutral fuels from air and sunlight.
2019
Medium-scale demonstration
Within the framework of the EU Horizon 2020 program, the Sun-to-Liquid project produced solar fuel at the Very High Concentration Solar Tower of IMDEA Energy in Móstoles, Spain.
2020
Full-scale demonstration of key components
We built a 250 kW prototype of our solar receiver and tested it at DLR Synlight. The receiver generated world record outlet temperatures beyond 1’500°C.
2022
Production of the world’s first solar syngas
Synhelion has reached the last decisive technical milestone for the industrial production of carbon-neutral solar fuels.
2024
DAWN: first industrial solar fuel plant
Plant DAWN demonstrates the solar fuel technology on an industrial scale. Located in Jülich, Germany, the plant produces fuel batches for showcases.
2027
First commercial solar fuel plant
Our first commercial plant will be located in Spain and will produce 1’000 tons of fuel per year.
2033
Global rollout
Ramp-up of production capacity to 1 million tons of fuel per year.
2040
Toward net zero
Ramp-up of production capacity to cover about half of European SAF demand in 2040.
