Pilatus and Synhelion Partner for Sustainable Aviation Fuels

The aviation industry faces a pressing challenge: reducing its reliance on fossil fuels. In a promising move towards a greener future, Pilatus and Synhelion have announced a strategic collaboration to accelerate the development and adoption of solar fuels for airplanes.

This partnership holds significant potential. Pilatus, a renowned aircraft manufacturer, intends to not only utilize Synhelion's solar fuels for its own operations but also offer them to its customers in the near future. This commitment is further solidified by Pilatus's decision to become a shareholder in Synhelion.

Synhelion, a company founded in 2016 with the express purpose of decarbonizing the travel industry, harnesses the power of the sun to produce renewable fuels. This stands in contrast to traditional sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) which is primarily derived from biomass or waste products – a method with limited scalability according to recent studies.

Synhelion is at the forefront of solar fuel production, constructing the world's first industrial plant in Germany with plans for a commercial facility in Spain by 2025. Pilatus envisions using these solar fuels for its own fleet before extending the option to its customers, offering a proactive solution for sustainable air travel.

The collaboration extends beyond fuel provision. By becoming a shareholder in Synhelion, Pilatus demonstrates its long-term commitment to transforming air travel into a more environmentally friendly industry.

This partnership is lauded by key figures at both companies. Hansueli Loosli, Chairman of the Pilatus Board of Directors, emphasizes Pilatus's longstanding dedication to sustainability, while Markus Bucher, Pilatus CEO, highlights their belief in solar fuel technology as the key to rapid decarbonization within the aviation sector.

Philipp Furler, Co-CEO and co-founder of Synhelion, expresses his pride in partnering with Pilatus, aiming to bring solar fuels to the entire Pilatus customer base within the next decade.

This collaboration between Pilatus and Synhelion is a beacon of hope for a more sustainable future of aviation. By harnessing the power of the sun, they aim to propel the industry towards cleaner skies.