Solar power plants have almost infinite potential. This is demonstrated by a Swiss start-up project that uses railway tracks to generate energy.
Innovative Swiss start-up Sun-Ways is about to make history with a pioneering system for installing solar panels directly on railway tracks. And this is no ordinary solar solution – it is the world’s first removable photovoltaic (PV) system, developed in collaboration with the renowned Swiss Federal Institute of Technology EPFL in Lausanne. Just imagine a train that spreads solar panels along the tracks like a carpet!
After overcoming initial regulatory hurdles, Sun-Ways will launch a three-year pilot project in the Neuchâtel region of Switzerland in spring 2025. A specially adapted train will install metre-scale photovoltaic panels at an impressive speed of up to 1,000 m² per day. During this trial, the electricity generated by the 48 panels on a 100-metre stretch of track will be fed into the electricity grid to help supply local households.
As Europe accelerates its transition to cleaner energy sources, pioneering projects like this one are opening up exciting new opportunities. Solar railways could play a key role in maximising solar potential in non-traditional spaces.
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