Eberhard Bau AG will source renewable diesel from the cleantech company Synhelion starting in 2027. A corresponding purchase agreement was signed at the beginning of February. This makes Eberhard the first construction company to use Synhelion's synthetic solar fuels in construction site operations.
Synhelion produces synthetic fuels using concentrated solar energy. These are compatible with existing diesel engines. Synhelion does not use electrolysis but relies on a thermochemical process powered by solar heat. Synhelion uses concentrated sunlight to generate high temperatures and produce syngas from biogas and water, a mixture of hydrogen and carbon monoxide (CO). Syngas is the starting material for many alternative fuels. This process differs from that of the Australian research institute CSIRO, which H2international also reported on. This also uses concentrated sunlight but for splitting water. Synhelion has been operating the "Dawn" demonstration plant since 2024, producing several thousand liters of solar fuel per year and demonstrating the process chain with industrial components. The first commercial plant is planned in Spain and is expected to start operations in 2027.
With the contract, Synhelion is opening up the construction sector as an application field for its solar fuels for the first time. Until now, the focus has been on aviation, shipping, and road transport. Construction machinery is considered particularly difficult to electrify because it operates under high loads and often in remote areas.
"Our machines are in tough use every day – reliability is crucial. With Synhelion's solar diesel, we can reduce CO2 exactly where there was previously no viable alternative," says Silvan Eberhard, Head of Logistics at Eberhard Unternehmungen.
Synhelion's first commercial production plant is expected to go into operation in 2027. In addition to Eberhard, Swiss International Air Lines, Pilatus Aircraft, Zurich Airport, the AMAG Group, and the Lake Lucerne Navigation Company have signed purchase agreements with Synhelion.
Hydrogen is also a tough market for the construction industry, as H2international author Leonhard Fromm researched for the 5-2025 issue. Only a few companies are willing to invest in the innovative technology. With an H2international subscription you can learn more here.
