Synhelion Hürth-Knapsack Solar Fuel Plant

The Synhelion Hürth-Knapsack Solar Fuel Plant is a planned commercial-scale renewable synthetic fuel production facility being developed by Swiss cleantech company Synhelion at RWE's Knapsacker Hügel industrial site in Hürth, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany (approximately 10 km southwest of Cologne), using Synhelion's proprietary solar thermochemical technology to convert CO₂ and water into syngas and downstream drop-in liquid fuels via Fischer-Tropsch synthesis. The facility is designed to produce approximately 30,000 tonnes per year of RED-compliant renewable synthetic fuels, with a primary focus on Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) alongside synthetic diesel and synthetic gasoline for shipping and road transportation. On September 1, 2026, Synhelion commissioned Saipem S.p.A. to conduct pre-Front-End Engineering Design (pre-FEED) services covering process integration of Synhelion's proprietary technology with downstream fuel synthesis and upgrading and definition of utilities and offsites, intended to consolidate the technical and economic basis for the subsequent FEED phase and Final Investment Decision ahead of the EPC phase. RWE provides site integration and permitting support at the transformed former lignite operation site, allowing the facility to benefit from existing pipeline and utility infrastructure.