CSP systems use specialized mirrors to focus sunlight onto a central point, heating a fluid like molten salt to generate steam for turbines or provide industrial heat. Unlike solar panels, CSP’s heat-retaining fluid enables energy storage, allowing operation after sunset. Synhelion’s DAWN facility, operational since last summer, integrates a brick-type thermal energy storage system, heliostats for CSP, and solar panels to drive a thermochemical reaction for fuel production on a continuous basis.
Synhelion reported on April 5: “Just a few months after commissioning, plant DAWN is operating close to nameplate capacity.” The company added: “Industrial-scale solar fuel production at DAWN has proven and de-risked our technology and demonstrated that the technology and the company are ready for commercial fuel production.” They emphasized: “The construction and operation of DAWN demonstrates Synhelion’s ability to deliver complete plant projects on time, on budget, and fully functional as designed.”
The DAWN facility’s thermal storage, capable of discharging heat for about 16 hours, offers a cost-effective alternative to lithium-ion batteries. Synhelion noted: “Our thermal energy storage technology is at least ten times cheaper than battery storage,” highlighting its environmental and ethical advantages.
The RISE facility in Spain, set to begin operations in 2027, marks Synhelion’s first commercial-scale project. The company aims to produce 1 million tons of solar fuel annually by 2033 and meet half of Europe’s sustainable aviation fuel demand by 2040. Insights from DAWN will accelerate the development of larger plants, with fuels tested in real-world applications to demonstrate their viability.
Synhelion’s technology, licensed from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich, has also attracted interest in Morocco, where a planned 100,000-tonne solar fuel facility will leverage the region’s solar resources and industrial infrastructure. These efforts underscore the growing potential of CSP in producing sustainable fuels, supporting global clean energy goals.
