Lenzerheide Bergbahnen Buys Synhelion Solar Diesel For Snow Groomers
Lenzerheide Bergbahnen AG, a leading Swiss tourism company, has signed a long-term offtake agreement for solar diesel with Synhelion. The renewable fuel will be used in the snow groomers of the Arosa Lenzerheide ski area for slope preparation starting from the 2027/2028 season.
Synhelion produces sustainable solar fuels. The cleantech scale-up company is on a mission to contribute to a net-zero transportation sector by replacing fossil fuels with renewable solar fuels. Founded in 2016 as a spin-off of ETH Zurich, Synhelion is now commercializing the Sun-to-Liquid technology. In June 2024, the company inaugurated DAWN, the world’s first industrial plant for the production of solar fuel in Jülich, Germany. RISE, Synhelion’s first commercial production plant, will be located in Spain and is scheduled to produce fuels from 2027. On its road to defossilize transportation, Synhelion is supported by a network of international partners such as Eni, Cemex, Lufthansa Group, Swiss International Air Lines, SMS group, Wood, AMAG Group, Zurich Airport, and Pilatus Aircraft.
With this step, Lenzerheide Bergbahnen AG is taking a pioneering role in the use of renewable fuels in an application area outside the traditional transportation sectors such as aviation, shipping, and road transportation. Synhelion’s synthetic fuels are produced from solar energy and are compatible with conventional internal combustion engines. The solar diesel will be produced at plant RISE in Spain, Synhelion’s first commercial solar fuel plant, which is expected to be operational from 2027.
Pioneering use of solar fuels
Lenzerheide Bergbahnen AG has made a conscious decision to use sustainable fuel and is thus contributing to the scaling of solar fuel technology. Felix Frei, Chairman of the Board of Lenzerheide Bergbahnen AG, explains: “We want to contribute actively to the energy transition and break new ground. By using solar diesel in our snow groomers, we are setting an example of responsible entrepreneurship and supporting our vision of a more sustainable ski area operation. We are proud to be part of this pioneering partnership with Synhelion.”
Solar diesel as key technology for sustainability
Synhelion is successfully scaling its technology for the production of synthetic fuels from solar energy. With DAWN, the industrial demonstration plant in Germany, an important milestone in the scaling of the technology was already achieved in 2024. RISE, the first commercial production plant in Spain, will produce synthetic fuels such as kerosene, diesel, and gasoline starting in 2027. Philipp Furler, Co-CEO and Co-Founder of Synhelion, comments: “Together with Lenzerheide Bergbahnen AG we will demonstrate the versatility and resilience of our solar fuels. By purchasing solar diesel, they are sending a strong signal in favor of innovation and sustainability in the tourism industry and supporting the scaling of our technology.”
In addition to Lenzerheide Bergbahnen AG, other solar fuel pioneers such as Pilatus Aircraft, Zurich Airport, the AMAG Group, and the Lake Lucerne Navigation Company have recently signed offtake agreements for solar fuel with Synhelion.
