Fueling the Future with Sunlight

From lab benches in Zurich to a prototype solar tower in Germany and a motorcycle cruising Swiss roads—this assignment followed the emergence of a revolutionary idea: a synthetic fuel made from sunlight. On commission for National Geographic Magazine, we traced the story of solar fuel from early experimentation at ETH Zurich to its first public road test by physicist Aldo Steinfeld. This commission brought science, sustainability, and mobility together in a powerful narrative of transition and hope. Read more.

Editor: Anne Farrar

Writer: Kieran Mulvaney

Assistants/Production: Samantha Azzani, Manuel Montesano