Empa and Synhelion: Climate-friendly fuels
SOLAR TECHNOLOGY Researchers at Empa Dübendorf and ETH spin-off Synhelion are developing ways to produce climate-friendly fuels based on solar energy in a joint project. Synhelion, a young ETH spin-off company in the field of solar fuels, and Empa Dübendorf are researching the production of climate-friendly solar fuels. To this end, they are jointly conducting a research project for the further development of a high-temperature energy storage [...]
Synhelion, a young ETH spin-off company in the field of solar fuels, and Empa Dübendorf are researching the production of climate-friendly solar fuels. To this end, they are jointly conducting a research project for the further development of a high-temperature energy storage unit, which is a central component of this process.
Synthetic fuels
Synhelion produces sustainable fuels such as gasoline, diesel and kerosene that are compatible with conventional combustion engines. To produce the synthetic fuels, the company has developed a solar-thermochemical process based on process heat from concentrated sunlight. The project with Empa is expected to be the world's first to enable the inexpensive and scalable storage of solar heat in excess of 1000 degrees Celsius. This storage technology will be used in Synhelion's first industrial plant, which will be built in 2022.
Production around the clock
To enable the reactors for the production of synthetic fuels to operate around the clock, a high-temperature heat storage system is required. This bunkers part of the solar energy for the night or for cloudy periods and thus enables continuous operation of the reactors.
Lukas Geissbühler, Head of Thermal Systems at Synhelion, is pleased: "Thermal energy storage is much cheaper and more environmentally friendly than battery storage. With our solar fuels, we can make an important contribution to combating the climate crisis."
