Press Kit

About Synhelion

Synhelion produces renewable synthetic fuels to defossilize the transportation sector. The cleantech company, rooted in ETH Zurich and the German Aerospace Center (DLR), has developed a scalable technology to produce synthetic drop-in fuels from renewable energy. We produce renewable jet fuel, diesel, and gasoline – synthetically manufactured fuels that replicate the chemical and physical properties of fossil fuels. These fuels are fully drop-in compatible with today’s global fuel infrastructure, meaning they can be blended with fossil-derived fuels or used in their pure form in existing aircraft, ships, trucks, and cars. Synhelion’s renewable synthetic fuels close the carbon cycle as they will only emit as much CO₂ during combustion as was used in their production. Our fuels cut net CO₂ emissions by up to 100% compared to fossil fuels and offer an efficient, scalable, economically viable, and environmentally friendly solution for a clean transportation sector. Our current focus is on long-distance transportation and other applications that cannot easily be electrified.

Synhelion owns proven, patented, and scalable technologies for the production of renewable fuels. High-temperature process heat generated from renewable electricity drives a thermochemical reaction that converts certified biomethane, CO₂, and water into syngas – a mixture of hydrogen and carbon monoxide. This syngas is then refined into renewable jet fuel, diesel, and gasoline using standard industrial synthesis processes. An integrated thermal energy storage enables continuous fuel production around the clock.

We work with sustainable, certified feedstocks and renewable energy because they are scalable and globally available. This allows the production of our renewable synthetic fuels to be scaled worldwide, contributing to global energy security and independence from petroleum.

At scale, Synhelion can produce renewable fuels for the price of fossil fuels. This is made possible by a highly efficient production pathway that delivers the lowest costs among scalable renewable fuel technologies.

In June 2024, we inaugurated DAWN, our first industrial-scale renewable fuel plant, integrating all of Synhelion’s innovations for renewable fuel production. With this plant, Synhelion has validated its technology on an industrial scale, proving its readiness for large-scale deployment. Located in Jülich, Germany, DAWN is fully operational and produces several thousand liters of renewable fuel per year. The fuels from DAWN have been delivered to Synhelion’s customers and used in real-world applications across various transportation sectors. Synhelion is now preparing for global rollout and will build and operate initial commercial plants itself before licensing its technology for global deployment.

We are supported in this endeavor by strategic investors, international partners, and customers from various industries and transportation sectors, including Eni, CEMEX, Lufthansa Group, Swiss International Air Lines, SMS group, Wood, AMAG Group, Zurich Airport, and Pilatus Aircraft.

We believe in a globalized world connected by clean transportation, where people enjoy the freedom to travel sustainably, cultivating personal and professional relationships. As liquid fuels continue to be needed for travel, transportation, and freight, we need to shift to sustainable, cleaner alternatives. Synhelion produces renewable synthetic fuels to replace fossil fuels and drive sustainable transportation.

Find answers to frequently asked questions.

Find the German version here.

Synhelion at a glance

2016

Founding year

ETH Zurich and DLR

Origin

2

Countries

>60

Employees

21

Patent families

CHF 100m

Funding

1

Active industrial plants

400+ million tons per year

Renewable fuel demand by 2050

Press releases

    Images

    Synhelion’s industrial-scale solar fuel plant DAWN.
    Synhelion’s industrial-scale solar fuel plant DAWN.

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    Synhelion’s industrial-scale solar fuel plant DAWN.

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    Aerial view of the mirror field of Synhelion’s industrial solar fuel plant DAWN.

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    Close-up of the heliostat field of Synhelion’s industrial solar fuel plant DAWN.

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    Storage and showroom for Synhelion’s solar synthetic crude oil.
    Storage and showroom for Synhelion’s solar synthetic crude oil.

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    Solar tower of plant DAWN and storage and showroom solar synthetic crude oil.
    Solar tower of plant DAWN and storage and showroom for Synhelion’s solar synthetic crude oil.

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    Close up of Synhelion's illuminated solar receiver
    Synhelion’s proprietary solar receiver provides high-temperature solar process heat to produce solar fuels.

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    Synhelion’s industrial-scale demonstration plant DAWN for the production of solar fuels.

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    Synhelion’s engineers at work in plant DAWN.

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    A Synhelion engineer at work in the control room of plant DAWN.
    A Synhelion engineer at work in the control room of plant DAWN.

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    Synhelion’s industrial-scale solar fuel plant DAWN.

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    Synhelion’s proprietary thermal energy storage and thermochemical reactor at plant DAWN.
    View of Synhelion’s proprietary thermal energy storage and thermochemical reactor at plant DAWN.

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    synhelion - solar tower and mirror field - process
    An overview of how plant DAWN produces solar fuels. English version.

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    An overview of how plant DAWN produces solar fuels. German version.

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    Video

    Video material in higher resolution and longer sequences available upon request. Contact: media@synhelion.com

    Videomaterial in höherer Auflösung sowie längere Sequenzen auf Anfrage erhältlich. Kontakt: media@synhelion.com

    Download Quelle/Source: Synhelion

    Download Quelle/Source: Synhelion

    Download Quelle/Source: Synhelion

    Download Quelle/Source: Synhelion

    Download Quelle/Source: Synhelion

    Download Quelle/Source: Synhelion

    Download Quelle/Source: Synhelion

    Synhelion brand video

    Watch video on YouTube

    Take a tour of plant DAWN

    Watch video on YouTube

    Watch our technology explainer video

    Watch English video on YouTube

    Watch German video on YouTube

    Management

    Dr. Gianluca Ambrosetti
    CEO and Founder

    Synhelion - Gianluca Ambrosetti

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    PhD in Physics/Nanotechnology

    Gianluca leads the company and the scaling and deployment of Synhelion’s technology together with Co-Founder and Co-CEO Philipp Furler.
    Gianluca brings together deep scientific and technological expertise with strategic and operational leadership, shaping the technology and long-term vision of Synhelion. He holds a PhD in Physics/Nanotechnology from EPFL Lausanne and has held various senior leadership positions across the renewable energy industry.

    Dr. Philipp Furler
    CEO and Founder

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    PhD in Mechanical Engineering/Solar Thermochemistry, EMBA

    Philipp leads the company and the scaling and deployment of Synhelion’s technology together with Co-Founder and Co-CEO Gianluca Ambrosetti. Philipp combines technological excellence with entrepreneurial leadership to drive the commercial scaling of this breakthrough technology. He holds a PhD in Mechanical Engineering from ETH Zurich and an Executive MBA from the University of Strathclyde, and brings more than a decade of experience in the cleantech sector. Prior to Synhelion, he co-founded the ETH spin-off Sunredox, which was acquired by Synhelion.

    Dr. Philipp Good
    Chief Technology Officer (CTO)

    Synhelion - Philipp Good

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    PhD in Mechanical Engineering/Solar Energy

    As CTO, Philipp plays a key role in building and scaling Synhelion’s technology. He leads the company’s technology development and implementation, overseeing the advancement of Synhelion’s fuel technology from research and development to commercial operation. Philipp holds a PhD in Mechanical Engineering from ETH Zurich, and brings extensive experience in the renewable energy sector, combining deep technical expertise with hands-on leadership in technology scale-up and deployment.

    Thomas Syfrig
    Chief Financial Officer (CFO)

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    lic. oec. HSG, CFA, Advanced Federal Diploma Expert for Accounting and Controlling

    Thomas is a seasoned financial professional with a broad range of experience in Switzerland and abroad. With over two decades of financial expertise including positions as CFO, he significantly contributed to major transactions, including the sale of a large telecom company, and worked as a director at Credit Suisse in Zurich and New York. Before joining Synhelion, he served as the CFO of Bergbahnen Flumserberg and the publicly traded Poenina Holding until its merger with Burkhalter Group. He holds a Licentiate in Business Administration from the University of St. Gallen as well as an Advanced Federal Diploma as Expert for Accounting and Controlling and is a CFA charterholder. He loves spending time in the mountains. Alternatively, he enjoys water activities, both below and above the surface.

    Patrick Hilger
    Managing Director Synhelion Germany

    Synhelion - Patrick Hilger

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    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

    Synhelion - Simon Dieckmann

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    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)