A political question, 2019
Airborn Fuels Switzerland began with a question: how could an air ticket levy in Switzerland be designed so that it actually contributes to climate protection and wins public acceptance? Studies showed that passengers support a levy if it visibly funds climate solutions – not if it is a pure incentive tax.
The only way to cut aviation emissions substantially is to replace fossil kerosene with sustainable aviation fuel. So the idea was born to use up to 49 % of the levy for innovation and production of synthetic aviation fuel. Together with ETH Professor Anthony Patt, Martin Bäumle and Peter Metzinger developed a proposal that Martin Bäumle brought to Parliament. It became part of the revised CO₂ Act.
Founding Airborn Fuels Switzerland, 2020
The parliamentary debate revealed a gap: no project in Switzerland was working on the production of renewable aviation fuel, and industry had no concrete plans. Martin Bäumle, Alex Gantner and Peter Metzinger founded Airborn Fuels Switzerland AG to close that gap. In May 2021 researchers Julien Anet and Andre Heel joined with similar plans of their own.
Setback and new framework, 2021–2024
The revised CO₂ Act failed at the ballot box on 13 June 2021. Our goal did not change. The founders launched SPIN, the Swiss Power-to-X Collaborative Innovation Network, to build the political and industrial coalition for e-fuels. The framework for SAF in Switzerland was subsequently re-established in the CO₂ Act in force today, including a blending obligation.
The first project, 2024–2026
On 1 October 2024 Airborn Fuels Switzerland launched the feasibility study for a Power-to-eMethanol-to-SAF demonstration plant and innovation platform at Sisslerfeld, supported by the Canton of Aargau and partners from industry and research. The study was completed in January 2026. Airborn Fuels Switzerland is now forming the consortium for the next phase.
What we have learned
Our mission has not changed since the beginning: to accelerate the path to market, to accelerate innovation and to accelerate the development of favourable regulatory conditions for e-SAF in Switzerland. What has changed is how we do it. Enabling is not enough – someone has to bring research, industry, policy and capital together and share the risk. That is what Airborn Fuels Switzerland does.
