Zurich Airport refuels first passenger bus with solar diesel from Synhelion

(CONNECT) Flughafen Zürich AG and Synhelion AG are joining forces to decarbonize Zurich Airport. For the first time, a passenger bus at Zurich Airport has now been refueled with solar diesel from Synhelion, the two companies announced in a joint press release. The fuel produced from biogas, CO2 and water using solar power only releases as much CO2 when burned as was used to produce it.

The synthetic fuel can be used without converting the engines or fuel infrastructure of the buses. "The successful operation of a passenger bus with solar diesel shows that our technology can be implemented seamlessly and easily," said Philipp Furler, co-CEO and co-founder of Synhelion, in the press release. The Zurich-based company produces the fuel at its DAWN industrial demonstration plant in Jülich, Germany.

Flughafen Zürich AG has set itself the goal of being climate-neutral by 2040. The company is focusing primarily on electrification for its vehicle fleet. Synhelion's synthetic diesel should make it possible in the long term to "also operate those vehicles that cannot be electrified in a CO2-neutral manner", explains Emanuel Fleuti, Vice President Sustainability at Flughafen Zürich AG. The press release cites special vehicles for winter operations as examples. ce/hs