Press Kit
Content
Images of test facility at German Aerospace Center near Cologne (DE)
Further pictures and video footage available upon request
About Synhelion
Synhelion uses the power of the sun to decarbonize transportation. We produce solar jet fuel, diesel, and gasoline, which can directly replace fossil fuels. Our sustainable solar fuels are carbon-neutral as they only emit as much CO2 as went into their production. They are fully compatible with existing global fuel infrastructure and offer the most economically viable, efficient, scalable, and environmentally friendly solution for clean, long-distance transportation.
Our technology reduces CO2 emissions in multiple transportation sectors. It also supports the decarbonization of industries that require high-temperature process heat such as cement manufacturing.
We work with solar heat because it is the cheapest renewable energy. It’s abundantly available and broadly distributed around the world. To turn sunlight into fuel, we have developed four innovation fronts: heliostats, a solar receiver, a thermochemical reactor, and thermal energy storage.
We use the sun’s radiation directly by reflecting it with a mirror field (heliostats) and concentrating it onto our solar receiver. Our precise control technology focuses the heliostats to minimize optical losses and optimize the use of space and material resources. The heliostats are slightly curved to increase solar concentration and are specially designed to be coupled with our solar receiver.
The solar receiver converts solar radiation into process heat beyond 1’500°C, making it possible to drive industrial processes such as fuel production and cement manufacturing with solar heat for the first time.
Our thermochemical reactor technology can process a variety of feedstocks into carbon-neutral solar fuels: from RED II certified biogenic methane of biowaste origin to CO2 from Direct Air Capture. As we’re capable of working with different CO2 sources, our technology is adaptable to the dynamic and varied global market conditions that will characterize the coming decades.
The solar heat generated during the day can be stored by our inexpensive thermal energy storage, enabling round-the-clock fuel production and making our solar fuel plants self-sufficient and independent from electrical grid infrastructure.
Self-contained plants that operate independently from electrical grid infrastructure make our technology quickly and broadly scalable worldwide. We are currently building DAWN, the world’s first industrial facility for the production of carbon-neutral solar fuel in Jülich, Germany. The commissioning of DAWN is scheduled for the end of 2023. We plan to commission the first commercial production facility in Spain by 2025.
By 2030, we are targeting a production cost below EUR 1 per liter and a commercial production capacity of 875 million liters of fuel per year. This volume corresponds to about half of Switzerland’s jet fuel demand. We plan to ramp up production capacity to produce 50 billion liters of solar fuel annually by 2040, enough to cover about half of European jet fuel demand.
We believe in a globalized world, where people enjoy the freedom to travel sustainably and cultivate personal and professional relationships. As liquid fuels continue to be needed for travel, transportation, and freight, we need to shift to sustainable, cleaner alternatives. Our solar fuels contribute to improved global energy security and independence from fossil fuel sources. They close the carbon cycle and drive a world connected by clean, sustainable transportation.
Find answers to frequently asked questions.
Find the German version here.
Our roadmap
Synhelion at a glance
2016
Founding year
ETH Zurich
Origin
3
Countries
40
Employees
12
Patent families
CHF 60 M
Funding
1’500°C+
Process heat
700’000 t
Annual fuel production by 2030
Images
General technology
Close-up of Synhelion’s proprietary solar receiver, which provides the necessary process heat to produce solar fuels.
Download | Source: Synhelion
The mirror field concentrates the solar radiation onto the DLR multifocus solar tower (right), where Synhelion’s solar receiver can be seen brightly illuminated.
Download | Source: Synhelion
The Synlight test facility at DLR with dozens of spotlights for the generation of artificial sunlight and an illuminated receiver.
Download | Source: Synhelion
Synhelion’s team works on the solar receiver at DLR. From left to right: Philipp Furler (CEO), Philipp Good (CTO), Simon Ackermann (Head Chemistry), Lukas Geissbühler (Head Thermal Systems).
Download | Source: Synhelion
The mirror field of the DLR in Jülich consisting of many heliostats in a row.
Download | Source: Synhelion
The mirror field of the DLR in Jülich consisting of many heliostats in a row.
Download | Source: Synhelion
Test facility German Aerospace Center near Cologne (DE)
At the solar tower of the German Aerospace Center (DLR) in Jülich, Germany, we are demonstrating the production of syngas on large scale. This 80’000 m2 solar facility has more than 2’000 mirrors that concentrate sunlight onto the two solar towers. The demonstration of our technology at this research facility marks the last milestone before we build our own industrial-scale solar fuel production facility in 2022.
Solar tower and mirror field of DLR in Jülich. The mirrors concentrate the sunlight on the brightly illuminated spot on the left tower.
Download | Source: Synhelion
Aerial view of the solar tower and mirror field of DLR, Jülich. The mirror field concentrates the solar radiation onto the solar tower and heats up the solar receiver.
Download | Source: Synhelion
Adjusted heliostats (mirror field) to concentrate the solar radiation at DLR in Jülich.
Download | Source: Synhelion
Synhelion’s CEOs and Co-Founders Philipp Furler (left) and Gianluca Ambrosetti (right) stand in the mirror field looking at the solar tower of the DLR test facility in Jülich.
Download | Source: Synhelion
Solar tower and mirror field of DLR in Jülich. The mirrors concentrate the solar radiation on the brightly illuminated spot.
Download | Source: Synhelion
The mirror field concentrates the solar radiation onto solar tower of DLR in Jülich.
Download | Source: Synhelion
The mirror field concentrates the solar radiation onto solar tower of DLR in Jülich.
Download | Source: Synhelion
The mirror field concentrates the solar radiation onto solar tower of DLR in Jülich
and heats up the solar receiver.
Download | Source: Synhelion
Test facility IMDEA Energy near Madrid (ES)
The Very High Concentration Solar Tower of IMDEA Energy was built as part of the EU’s Horizon 2020 “Sun-to-Liquid” project. It is located in Móstoles, a suburb of Madrid, Spain. Synhelion has been renting this facility featuring a 1’000 m2 solar field to develop and test its solar fuel technology on medium scale.
Download | Source: Synhelion
Download | Source: Synhelion
Download | Source: Synhelion
Download | Source: Synhelion
Download | Source: Synhelion
Download | Source: Synhelion
Management
Dr. Gianluca Ambrosetti
CEO and Founder
PhD in Physics/Nanotechnology
Gianluca obtained his PhD in Physics/Nanotechnology from EPFL Lausanne. He held various positions in the concentrated solar power and photovoltaics industry – among them he was Head of Research at Airlight Energy and Managing Director of Dsolar. His achievements include several patents and scientific publications, and he is the recipient of the EPFL Prix Prof. René Wasserman 2011. He co-founded Synhelion in 2016 and now holds the position of CEO. Gianluca is a passionate jazz soprano saxophone player and performs regularly at concerts and jazz festivals.
Dr. Philipp Furler
CEO and Founder
PhD in Mechanical Engineering/Solar Thermochemistry
Philipp holds a PhD in Mechanical Engineering from ETH Zurich since 2014. In 2018, he completed his Executive MBA at the University of Strathclyde. Philipp has more than ten years of experience in high-temperature solar chemistry and reactor engineering. He serves as Operating Agent – Solar Chemistry Research for the International Energy Agency’s technology program SolarPACES. Prior to joining Synhelion, Philipp co-founded the ETH spin-off company Sunredox, which was acquired by Synhelion in 2018.
Dr. Philipp Good
Chief Technology Officer (CTO)
PhD in Mechanical Engineering/Solar Energy
Philipp performed his PhD research in Mechanical Engineering at ETH Zurich in close collaboration with a concentrated solar power company. He joined Synhelion in 2017. Philipp has more than seven years of experience in the design, modelling, engineering, and experimental testing of high-temperature solar receivers and the optical alignment, characterization, and operation of solar concentrators. He is a passionate tennis player and participates in tournaments and team competitions.
Mirjana Blume
Chief Financial Officer (CFO)
Economist FH, MBA HSG
Mirjana Blume is a proven financial expert with a broad range of experience. In her more than 20 years as CFO/CEO of various companies and industries, she has accompanied the entire range of business cycles, be it the buildup or expansion of a company, restructuring and turnarounds, acquisitions, spin-off or divestment of parts of a company or entire companies. With her entrepreneurial experience and financial background, she has been supporting various companies on the board of directors, including as Member of the Board of Orell Füssli Group or Vice-Chairwoman and Head of the Audit Committee of the Board of Directors for the past nine years of the energy service provider IWB (Industrielle Werke Basel).
Patrick Hilger
Managing Director Synhelion Germany
MSc in Energy Engineering
Patrick graduated with a Master of Science in Energy Engineering from RWTH Aachen University. He worked as a project engineer for the research institutions Solar Institute Jülich (SIJ) and German Aerospace Center (DLR) in the field of heliostat development and played a key role in the design and construction of Synlight, the largest artificial sun in the world. Together with Prof. Dr. Bernhard Hoffschmidt, he founded Heliokon GmbH in 2016, which has been part of Synhelion as Synhelion Germany GmbH since 2021.
Simon Dieckmann
Managing Director Synhelion Germany
Dipl.-Ing. Mechanical Engineering + Dipl.-Ing. Engineering & Business
Simon holds a degree in Mechanical Engineering with focus on aerospace technology and a degree in Engineering & Business from RWTH Aachen University. Before joining Synhelion in 2019, he worked for several years as a research engineer at the German Aerospace Center, where he gained extensive experience in the techno-economic assessment of renewable energy technologies and CSP-related software development.
Measurements
Minimum spacing
w = 40 mm
h = 9,5 mm
Protected space around logo
3× (increases proportionally)
