SWISS Partners with Neustark on Permanent Carbon Removal

SWISS Forms Partnership with Neustark for Carbon Removal

Swiss International Air Lines has entered into a long-term strategic partnership with Swiss-based company neustark, which has developed a process to store carbon dioxide from biogas facilities in demolished concrete, removing it from the atmosphere. The agreement runs until 2030, with options to expand in scope or duration.

The aviation sector faces the challenge of balancing connectivity with its environmental impact. SWISS aims to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050 through a range of measures, including the use of more efficient aircraft, the adoption of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), and support for carbon removal technologies.

By partnering with neustark, SWISS becomes the first airline to support this mineralization method, which enables permanent CO₂ storage. The collaboration will help neustark accelerate the further development of its technology and expand its international application.

SWISS has also worked with other Swiss start-ups on sustainable technologies, including solar fuels from Synhelion and carbon removal through direct air capture with Climeworks. These initiatives form part of the Lufthansa Group’s broader efforts to reach net-zero CO₂ emissions by 2050.

“Our journey to net zero demands actions as well as words,” stresses SWISS CEO Jens Fehlinger.

“Switzerland is a land of innovation. And we’re proud to help carry this strength out into the world. In teaming up with neustark, we’re supporting a Swiss idea that can have a global impact. Permanent CO₂ removal is key to the future of the aviation sector; and we are intentionally getting involved in this technology as early as possible, to help scale it up and drive its further development. And as the first airline in the world to do so, we’re saying: At SWISS, we don’t wait; we lead the way.”

“We are delighted to have secured SWISS as our first airline partner,” adds Valentin Gutknecht, Co-CEO and co-founder of neustark.

“Our new collaboration shows how even difficult-to-decarbonize sectors like air transport can help to scale up core climate technologies. Pioneers like SWISS are playing a vital role in further developing our carbon removal technology and in enabling us to achieve our ambitious growth plans to permanently remove exponentially more tonnes of hard-to-avoid CO₂ emissions from the atmosphere every day.”