Zurich Airport to use solar fuel from 2027 in deal with Synhelion
Zurich Airport Ltd has signed a long-term agreement with Swiss sun-to-liquid tech developer Synhelion to purchase solar-derived renewable diesel, the companies said on Tuesday.Starting in 2027, Zurich Airport will buy 30,000 litres of solar diesel annually from Synhelion. Initially, the fuel will power passenger buses on the airport premises, and later be used in other special vehicles without electric drives, according to a joint statement. The contract will run for five years.Synhelion will produce the fuel at its first commercial plant, RISE, in Spain, where production is expected to commence in 2027.The company's solar fuels are made with concentrated solar power, which is used to produce process heat at temperatures over 1,500 degrees Celsius (2,732 F). Part of that heat is used in a thermochemical reactor to produce syngas, a precursor to synthetic liquid fuels. The other part is save in a thermal energy storage unit to enable continuous operation. The resulting fuels are compatible with existing fuel infrastructure and conventional engines, reducing net CO2 emissions by up to 99% compared to fossil fuels, according to Synhelion.Zurich Airport aims to achieve net-zero corporate greenhouse gas emissions by 2040 without offsetting, the statement added. Other companies, including Pilatus Aircraft and Lake Lucerne Navigation Company, have also signed off-take agreements with Synhelion.
Zurich Airport Ltd has signed a long-term agreement with Swiss sun-to-liquid tech developer Synhelion to purchase solar-derived renewable diesel, the companies said on Tuesday.
Starting in 2027, Zurich Airport will buy 30,000 litres of solar diesel annually from Synhelion. Initially, the fuel will power passenger buses on the airport premises, and later be used in other special vehicles without electric drives, according to a joint statement. The contract will run for five years.
Synhelion will produce the fuel at its first commercial plant, RISE, in Spain, where production is expected to commence in 2027.
The company's solar fuels are made with concentrated solar power, which is used to produce process heat at temperatures over 1,500 degrees Celsius (2,732 F). Part of that heat is used in a thermochemical reactor to produce syngas, a precursor to synthetic liquid fuels. The other part is save in a thermal energy storage unit to enable continuous operation. The resulting fuels are compatible with existing fuel infrastructure and conventional engines, reducing net CO2 emissions by up to 99% compared to fossil fuels, according to Synhelion.
Zurich Airport aims to achieve net-zero corporate greenhouse gas emissions by 2040 without offsetting, the statement added. Other companies, including Pilatus Aircraft and Lake Lucerne Navigation Company, have also signed off-take agreements with Synhelion.
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