Pioneering a fossil-free future with solar fuels

A new facility will be able to produce synthetic crude oil at scale

Spotted: Although renewable energy sources like solar have a lot of potential, certain sectors, like heavy road transportation and shipping, will be difficult to decarbonise with conventional batteries and solar panels. But what if the power of the sun could be used to create renewable fuels that resemble the fossil fuels currently powering these industries?

This question is being answered by Swiss startup Synhelion, an ETH Zurich spin-off that has pioneered ‘sun-to-liquid’ technology. The company’s system of hi-tech mirrors directs the sun’s radiation onto a solar receiver to provide process heat for a series of thermochemical processes that convert CO2 and water into hydrocarbon fuels. These are carbon-neutral as burning them will only release CO2 previously captured as part of the production process.

Recently in Jülich, Germany, Synhelion opened the inauguration of the world’s first industrial-scale synthetic fuel plant, called DAWN. This facility, which begins production this year, will produce synthetic crude oil, or ‘syncrude’ – an easy-to-transport intermediate product that can be refined into diesel, gasoline, or kerosene for shipping and transport applications. The site’s capacity is set to reach ‘several thousand’ litres of fuel per year.

The use of solar fuels is attractive for several reasons. Crucially, they are near-identical to today’s hydrocarbons and are compatible with the world’s existing infrastructure. Companies can simply swap out fossil fuels for solar fuels in their existing refineries, distribution networks, petrol stations, and vehicle engines. Plus, solar fuels act as an energy-dense medium for storing and transporting the sun’s power. Finally, Synhelion claims its fuels will be affordable, with the company targeting a production cost of $1 per litre.

Written By: Matthew Hempstead