Swiss International Air Lines AG to become World’s first airline to use Solar aviation fuel.

Why in news?

• Swiss International Air Lines AG (SWISS or Swiss Air Lines), a part of the Lufthansa Group, has signed a new strategic collaboration with Switzerland based solar fuels start-up, Synhelion SA (Synhelion) to use their solar aviation fuel.
• SWISS is set to become the world’s first airline to use Solar Aviation fuel (“sun-to-liquid” fuel).
• Synhelion is set to build the world’s first facility to industrially produce solar fuel in Julich, Germany. The plant will become operational from 2022 onwards.
• SWISS will become the first customer of solar kerosene in 2023.
• As per the agreement, SWISS and Lufthansa will also support the commercial fuel production facility of Synhelion in Spain.
• Solar Aviation fuel: SWISS and the Lufthansa Group have concluded a strategic collaboration with Synhelion, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH Zurich) spinoff, to bring solar aviation fuel to market.
• Synhelion has developed a key technology for manufacturing sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) from renewable energy sources
• The process uses concentrated solar heat to manufacture syngas which can then be synthesized into carbon-neutral kerosene using standard industrial processes.
• This sun to liquid fuel will only produce as much as carbon dioxide as used in to its manufacture.
• This fuel will contribute to effectively decarbonizing air transport.