Synhelion is a cleantech company that evolved from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH Zurich) in 2016. They have developed a unique technology to turn sunlight into fuel. Their technology supports the defossilization of the transportation sector, as their sustainable solar fuels can directly replace fossil fuels and are compatible with the existing global fuel infrastructure.
Helbling’s Ideation Team focuses on the early stages of innovation (pre-development). It also offers Innovation Management Services, that enable customers to optimize their innovation processes and projects and turn ideas into solutions quickly and effectively.
In this project, Helbling Ideation supported Synhelion in optimizing the planning, conceptualization, engineering, procurement, construction, commissioning, setup, and operation of the world’s first industrial-scale plant to produce synthetic fuels using solar heat.
Key Figures
- 24/7 operation, thanks to integrated thermal energy storage
- 218 heliostats, reflecting and concentrating sun radiation
- 1’200°C process heat
- Innovation: 1st industrial-scale solar-to-synthethic fuel plant
- Timeline: From Febraury to June 2023
- Status: As of September 2024, the plant is operational and producing fuels
- Location: Brainergy Park Jülich, Germany
Our Contribution
- Analyze the concept and project structure
- Organize the project into clear, manageable modules
- Define cross-functional modules like control, process, and safety
- Define roles such as lead, module owners, and system engineer
- Standardize reporting to ensure transparency and timely decisions
- Setup a monthly steering board meeting
- Assess risks systematically to identify and mitigate top risks
- Support project and resource planning implementation
Outcome
The project supported Synhelion’s transition from an R&D-focused start-up to a well-structured organization capable of successfully delivering a multi-million CHF Project:
- Project Structure & Clarity: Breaks down complexity, improves collaboration.
- Project Role Definition: Defines responsibilities, enables execution.
- Cross-Functional Coordination: Integrates disciplines, reduces system gaps.
- Standardized reporting: improves transparency, decision speed, early issue detection.
- Risk Management: Identifies and mitigates key risks.
- Resource Planning: Ensures efficient use of budget and time.
Contact
Cases
Internationales Unternehmen der Papierindustrie – Analyse des Dampfsystems
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Cases
6-Streifenausbau Aarau Ost – Verzweigung Birrfeld – Bauherrenunterstützung
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