SWISS and the Lufthansa Group have concluded a strategic collaboration with the cleantech company Synhelion to bring solar aviation fuel to market. This will make SWISS the first airline in the world to to purchase Sun-To-Liquid fuel from Synhelion.

"Our team-up with Synhelion is founded on our shared vision to make carbon-neutral flying in regular flight operations possible through the use of solar fuel", explains SWISS Chief Executive Officer Dieter Vranckx. "We are proud that SWISS will be the first airline in the world to use solar kerosene. In partnering with Synhelion, we are supporting Swiss innovation and are actively pursuing and promoting the development, the market introduction and the scaling-up of this highly promising technology for producing sustainable fuels."

"We believe in a globalized world connected by climate-friendly mobility", adds Dr. Philipp Furler, Synhelion’s co-founder and CEO. "Our next-generation renewable solar kerosene is an economically and ecologically viable substitute for fossil fuels. The commitment of SWISS and the Lufthansa Group underlines the aviation sector’s keen interest in our solar fuel."

Solar energy – the way to almost carbon-neutral flying

Synhelion has developed a key technology for manufacturing sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) from renewable energy sources. The unique procedure uses solar heat to manufacture syngas which can then be synthesized into renewable solar fuel using standard industrial processes. This sun-to-liquid fuel closes the fuel carbon cycle: when combusted, it will only produce as much CO2 as went into its manufacture. The new fuel thus makes a major contribution to effectively defossilize air transport. In 2024, Synhelion inaugurated the world's first facility for the industrial production of solar fuels in Jülich (Germany), which is now in operation. The agreed partnership also includes support from SWISS and the Lufthansa Group in the development of Synhelion's planned commercial fuel facility in Spain. SWISS will be the first customer for the solar kerosene produced.

Swiss pioneer Synhelion, SWISS, Edelweiss and the Lufthansa Group have been working together since 2020. SWISS has also been an investor in Synhelion since 2022. The aim is to contribute to the reduction of CO2 emissions in Swiss aviation through the use of solar fuel.

SWISS plans pioneering role in the use of sustainable fuels from renewable sources

The Lufthansa Group and SWISS have been pursuing and promoting comprehensive measures to minimize their carbon dioxide emissions for several years now, and work closely with their partners to steadily further reduce the environmental impact of their business and operational activities. SWISS will be substantially increasing its use of sustainable aviation fuels in the next few years to help achieve its climate objectives. In view of the limited availability of biofuels, however, alternatives will be required. “This is why we are actively supporting the development of  solar fuels,” stresses SWISS CEO Vranckx. “We want to be a pioneer in their use. So our involvement with Synhelion is a key element in our long-term sustainability strategy.