European companies rely on Swiss cleantechs

Synhelion is industrializing its unique technology for the production of synthetic fuels from solar energy. In June 2024, the company opened DAWN, the first industrial-scale demonstration plant for the production of renewable fuels from solar energy in Jülich, Germany. With RISE, the first commercial solar fuel plant in Spain, Synhelion plans to produce 1’000 tons of renewable kerosene, diesel, and gasoline per year.

With RISE scheduled to be operational in 2027 the startup continues to sign off take agreements. Most recently it has on-boarded two organizations – Lenzerheide Bergbahnen AG, which signed a five-year solar fuel offtake agreement aiming to purchase renewable diesel to power the snow groomers that prepare the slopes of the Arosa Lenzerheide ski area. With this step, Lenzerheide Bergbahnen AG is taking a pioneering role in the use of renewable fuels in an application area outside the traditional transportation sectors such as aviation, shipping, and road transportation.  Swiss automotive company, AMAG Group AG, has also signed a long-term offtake agreement for solar gasoline, committing to purchase 50’000 liters of solar gasoline per year to reduce the CO2 emissions of its existing fleet.

Beyond Switzerland, three startups are also making strides in various sectors of the utilities industry.

Zaphiro to monitor 55 substations in Latvia
Zaphiro Technologies, with its flagship product SynchroGuard offers a cutting-edge distribution grid monitoring and automation system. It’s first Distribution-Phasor Measurement Unit (D-PMU) technology enables power utilities to dramatically improve grid efficiency, reliability, and resilience. With over 200 devices deployed across Europe, Middle East, and the United States, Zaphiro has already established partnerships with major energy operators. Most recently, the company has commissioned its SynoGuard System for a smarter and more efficient electricity network at Sadales tīkls’ nework in Latvia. Sadales tīkls is Latvia's primary electricity distribution company, providing services to over 790,000 customers across 99% of the country's area. The company manages an extensive electrical network spanning approximately 93,000 kilometers.

As part of its partnership with Zaphiro, 55 substations will be monitored, using just 6 PMUs in order to deliver a more resilient and efficient grid. Key objectives of this partnership include: 1) enhancing the observability of power flows, offering precise, real-time data for improved control and management, 2) support the integration of green energy resources, enabling the inclusion of variable energy inputs and advancing the shift to sustainability and 3) streamlining fault detection and management, cutting response times and boosting service quality for Latvian customers.

Insolight’s Insolagrin to facilitate red crop production in France
Insolight, the provider of insolagrin agrivoltaic systems is part of the “Campus Fruits Rouges” project, a flagship facility for red crops in France. While demand for this type of crop has been rising, 87% of raspberries consumed in France are still imported, due to a lack of local production. Fruits Rouges & Co, an SME that has been pioneering the commercialization of red fruits since 1990, has set itself an ambitious target to triple its share of French production by 2028. To achieve this the company, along with Photosol, a specialist in solar energy, has entered a partnership agreement with Insolight to develop the agrivoltaic demonstrator “Campus Fruits Rouges”. This pilot project aims to gather valuable data on insolagrin for red fruit production, marking a decisive step in the quest for local, sustainable and competitive production. Insolagrin protects crops and controls light’s transmission to plants through dynamic shading, while harvesting excess light to produce electricity.

bNovate signs distribution agreement in China
China is one of the world’s largest freshwater users, grappling with severe pollution that threatens drinking water, industrial manufacturing, agriculture, and energy production. In a move to address these water quality challenges in China, Swiss startup bNovate Technologies has signed a distribution agreement with Avance Aqua, a technology company specializing in advanced water monitoring products and membrane-based water treatment solutions. This collaboration brings the startup’s products to the Chinese market; BactoSense CORE, SMART, and PURE are instruments for real-time online bacteria monitoring while the Active Cells-UV Cartridge is the first solution for online UV treatment validation. These tools will be distributed through a network of 48 regional and provincial partners, targeting sectors such as utilities, environmental monitoring, Food & Beverages, industrial applications, and cosmetics.

(RAN)