Synhelion took a new step in the industrial application of synthetic fuels by refueling an Eberhard Bau AG excavator with renewable diesel for the first time. The test was carried out at the Brüttener Tunnel construction site, near Bassersdorf, in Zurich.
The fuel used comes from DAWN, Synhelion’s plant in Jülich, Germany, operational since 2024 to produce renewable fuels at industrial scale. This facility produces diesel, gasoline, and sustainable aviation fuel compatible with existing engines and infrastructure.
An alternative for heavy machinery that is difficult to electrify
In construction, electrifying large equipment remains complex. Excavators and other heavy machines operate on demanding terrain, with high energy demand and limited on-site infrastructure.
For this reason, liquid fuels continue to play an important role. Synhelion’s renewable diesel can be used as a drop-in fuel in current engines, without technical modifications, while maintaining the operational performance required on an active jobsite.
Likewise, the company states that this fuel can reduce net CO₂ emissions by up to 100%, depending on the production and use cycle. For Eberhard, the test confirms that synthetic fuels can be integrated into daily construction operations without affecting machinery reliability.
Synhelion and Eberhard advance sustainable construction
Eberhard Bau AG, a Swiss construction company headquartered in Kloten, has developed civil engineering projects, roads, demolition, excavation, recycling, and circular materials for more than 70 years. Its participation in this test reinforces its strategy toward construction processes with a lower environmental impact.
Synhelion, for its part, aims to replace fossil fuels with renewable synthetic fuels. Its technology targets sectors where direct electrification is difficult, such as aviation, maritime transport, road transport, and now construction machinery.
From 2027, Eberhard plans to purchase larger volumes of Synhelion’s renewable diesel. In doing so, both companies aim to scale the use of sustainable fuels in real industrial applications.
DAWN validates the leap to industrial-scale synthetic fuels
DAWN integrates Synhelion’s technologies to produce renewable fuels under industrial conditions. The plant serves as a validation platform to scale up production and reduce costs, a key factor for these fuels to gain a stronger presence in energy-intensive sectors.
With this excavator test, Synhelion adds another practical application for its synthetic fuels. The result shows that renewable diesel can operate in existing machinery and support the decarbonization of construction without immediately replacing entire fleets.
Source and photo: Synhelion