Synthetic kerosene: Switzerland starts green production (cross-border guide)

Context

In a nutshell

• The Paul Scherrer Institute in Aargau inaugurated the first sustainable synthetic kerosene plant
• Produces 50 litres per day of "zero climate impact" fuel
• Airlines today mix 2%, from 2030 mandatory 6%

Key facts

• What: Demonstration plant that transforms water, electricity and CO2 into synthetic kerosene
• When: Inauguration in 2024 (three-year project)
• Where: Paul Scherrer Institut, Aargau (Switzerland)
• Who: PSI, Marco Ranocchiari (Head of Laboratory), Federal Office of Civil Aviation, Swiss
• Production: 50 litres per day; commercial plant from 2030 in the Netherlands

The Swiss plant that produces green fuel

The first demonstration plant for the production of synthetic kerosene was inaugurated at the Paul Scherrer Institut (PSI) in Aargau. The plant, the result of three years of research, combines water, electricity and carbon dioxide extracted from sustainable sources to create a fuel "of high quality and with zero climate impact", according to the researchers.

Marco Ranocchiari, head of the technological energies and innovation laboratory AT PSI, describes the result as "a research success, because we have transformed something that was prepared in the laboratory into something bigger". Although the plant produces only 50 liters per day, Ranocchiari points out that it is "practically a miniature commercial plant" where it is possible to conduct tests

Operational details

Still prohibitive costs for Swiss passengers

The most urgent challenge for the sector is no longer technological but economic. Jens Fehlinger, CEO of Swiss, points out a concrete and immediate problem: "Prices for sustainable kerosene are four or five times higher than conventional kerosene." This difference in cost has a direct impact on air ticket prices for Swiss passengers and represents the real bottleneck of the energy transition in air transport.

Swiss has confirmed that its planes are already ready for green fuel and could theoretically charge “as much green kerosene as possible from tomorrow”. The problem is that the global supply is insufficient. For this reason, Fehlinger emphasizes the immediate need to accelerate production: "It is essential that we now increase production, to also lower the prices that our passengers ultimately pay."

Binding timeline until 2050

The stated goal for the aviation sector is to achieve climate neutrality by 2050. This target represents a profound transformation of air mobility, but the intermediate deadlines are already operational and binding:

• 2024 (today): Obligation to mix at least 2% sustainable kerosene
• 2030: Share rises to 6% (next critical milestone)
• 2050: Full climate neutrality target

Switzerland, thanks to PSI research, plays an important role in the

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Key points

What to Expect from 2030

For passengers flying with Swiss and other Swiss airlines, the change will be gradual but concrete. In the short term (2024-2029), the cost of sustainable fuel will continue to put pressure on ticket prices, even if the mandatory percentage remains contained (2%). The real turning point will come in 2030, when the 6% quota comes into effect and the commercial installation in the Netherlands should be operational.

At that point, the increase in the offer of available sustainable kerosene on the European market may start to reduce costs. If production accelerates as expected, price differentials should decrease gradually towards the end of the decade, even if they will hardly reach parity with fossil kerosene before 2035-2040. Passengers should monitor flight prices towards the end of 2029: if the offer of sustainable fuel is indeed increasing, the effects will start to be felt on tariffs.

Parallel Innovation: Electric Aircraft

In parallel with the research on synthetic fuel, alternative complementary solutions are emerging. The Swiss Aero-Club celebrated its 125th anniversary by showcasing a Velis Electro, a completely electric aircraft with an autonomy of 50-60 minutes, at Bern.

Although this technology is still in its initial phase and cannot replace commercial long-haul aviation, it represents the attempt to diversify solutions towards climate sustainability.

Matthias Jauslin, president of the Aero-Club, confirms that climate sensitivity has not yet reduced the number of aviation enthusiasts, but the sector is aware of the need to evolve: "With alternative fuels and better aircraft, we are trying to contribute to making aviation more climate-neutral".

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