Swiss Firm Synhelion Advances 100,000-Ton Synthetic Fuel Plant in Tan-Tan

Rabat – Swiss clean-fuel company Synhelion has signed an agreement with the Moroccan government to develop a large commercial plant for renewable synthetic fuels in Tan-Tan Province in southern Morocco.

The planned facility is expected to produce up to 100,000 tons of renewable fuel per year, the company said today in a press release.

Synhelion signed the memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Morocco’s Ministry of Industry and Trade, Ministry of Energy Transition and Sustainable Development, Ministry of Investment, Convergence and Public Policy Evaluation, and the Moroccan Agency for Investment and Export Development (AMDIE).

Synhelion has already reserved land for the facility and established a local branch, Synhelion Morocco, marking the move from an initial assessment toward more concrete project development, added the statement.

Morocco’s renewable energy potential

Synhelion said the region offers strong conditions for the project because of its renewable energy resources and potential to develop a local industrial supply chain.

“Morocco’s exceptional renewable energy resources and its clear industrial strategy make it an ideal location for scaling our synthetic fuel technology,” Gianluca Ambrosetti, Synhelion’s co-CEO and co-founder, said.

He added that the MoU, the reserved land, and the creation of Synhelion Morocco bring the company closer to developing its first large commercial plant in the region.

The project is part of Synhelion’s plans to expand production of renewable synthetic fuels around the world. The company is assessing locations for commercial plants as it works to scale its technology and eventually produce renewable fuels at competitive prices.

Government backs green industry

Morocco’s Investment Minister Karim Zidane welcomed Synhelion’s plans, saying the project could support the country’s efforts to attract investment linked to innovation, sustainability, and industrial development.

He said the project could also help create new value chains and local economic opportunities in the Guelmim-Oued Noun region while strengthening Morocco’s position as a competitive destination for green industries.

“By building on the strong renewable energy potential of the Guelmim-Oued Noun region, this project has the potential to contribute to the emergence of new value chains, create local economic opportunities and strengthen the Kingdom’s position as a competitive platform for green industry,” Zidane said.

Synhelion Morocco has also received Casablanca Finance City status, placing the company’s local branch within Morocco’s main international business and investment hub.

The company did not provide a construction or production start date for the Tan-Tan plant.

Synhelion was founded in 2016 as a spin-off of ETH Zurich. The company has developed technology that uses renewable energy to produce synthetic fuels, including sustainable aviation fuel, gasoline, and diesel. Its fuels are designed as “drop-in” alternatives, meaning they can be used with existing engines and fuel infrastructure without major modifications.

The company says it has more than 70 employees, 23 patent families, and CHF 100 million ($126 million) in funding. Its first industrial-scale plant, DAWN, has been operating in Jülich, Germany, since 2024 and produces several thousand liters of fuel per year. 

Synhelion says DAWN has validated its technology for larger commercial projects. The company aims to eventually reach annual production of around 1 million tons of renewable fuel within 10 years. 

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