Switzerland Pioneers Solar Aviation Fuel with First Commercial Flight Using Synhelion’s Jet Fuel

Swiss International Air Lines (SWISS) has officially become the first commercial airline to operate a flight using solar-based jet fuel, developed by clean-tech firm Synhelion, marking a major step forward in sustainable aviation.

The synthetic crude was produced using solar thermal energy at Synhelion’s DAWN facility in Switzerland and refined into Jet-A1 fuel in Northern Germany. From there, it was delivered into the Hamburg Airport fueling system and used as part of a regular SWISS flight to Zurich.

While the initial amount—just 190 litres—covered only 7% of the required fuel for the short-haul route, the demonstration confirms the technical viability of Synhelion’s innovation and signals readiness for future scale-up.

“This marks a real breakthrough in our collaboration with Synhelion,” said Jens Fehlinger, CEO of SWISS. “We are proud to take a leading role in advancing this vital technology for a more climate-friendly aviation sector.”

Philipp Furler, Synhelion’s co-founder and co-CEO, added:

“This milestone moves us closer to scaling solar fuels globally. We’re grateful to have SWISS and the Lufthansa Group as long-standing partners in this journey.”

How It Works

Synhelion’s technology harnesses concentrated solar power to create syngas, which is then converted into synthetic crude oil. Once refined, this becomes a drop-in jet fuel that is chemically identical to conventional kerosene—fully compatible with existing refineries, aircraft engines, and airport fueling infrastructure.

An independent lifecycle analysis found that Synhelion’s solar jet fuel reduces greenhouse gas emissions by more than 70%, well beyond the EU’s minimum sustainability requirement for aviation fuels.

Road to Commercial Scale

SWISS has supported Synhelion’s development since 2020, becoming a direct investor in 2022. The next major objective is to obtain EU sustainability certification for both the fuel and its production method, paving the way for commercial rollout starting in 2027.

Synhelion is currently building industrial-scale production capacity, aiming to deliver continuous output of solar-based aviation fuel to meet both regulatory and airline demand in the coming years.

This historic flight demonstrates that solar jet fuel is no longer a futuristic concept—it’s a viable, scalable solution that could transform how the world flies.