Switzerland Initiates Portable Solar Technology on Railroads

In a first of its kind project to promote sustainability in rail transportation, the Federal office of Transport (FOT) in Switzerland has initiated an innovative initiative to install portable solar panels between railway tracks.

The innovative initiative, which aims to make Switzerland a pioneer in such projects, is being developed by Sun-Ways in collaboration with EPFL, the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, and will be tested on rail roads in Buttes in Neuchâtel Canton starting in the Spring of 2025.

This pilot project, which was cleared after a comprehensive ten-month review by FOT in October this year, is expected to pave the way for a series of similar projects both in Switzerland and abroad. This project will be executed in partnership with the public transport operator transN and the electricity supplier Viteos.

The pilot project is the first important step towards full integration into larger railway networks, with the possibility of extending it nationally and internationally.

Sun-Ways is an industrial company based in Vaud and is exploring the surfaces between railway tracks to place removable photovoltaic power plants and its pilot project in Buttes is a 100-metre photovoltaic installation on a railway line open to traffic.

According to Sun-Ways, there is an estimated 1,000,000 sq. km of unused land between railways worldwide, and 260,000 sq. km in Europe alone. The company, which has identified an innovative solution to exploit these unused lands, aims to revolutionise photovoltaic (PV) energy production while contributing to the global decarbonisation and electrification of mobility.

This technology is designed by Sun-Ways to optimise unused space between the tracks without interfering with train operations or maintenance activities. The panels are removable and can be installed manually or mechanically using a machine developed by Scheuchzer SA, which is capable of installing up to 1,000 sq. m. of panels per day.

The above project has the potential to change the face of solar energy generation by utilising existing railway infrastructure. In doing so, it offers a scalable and environmentally friendly solution without requiring additional land.

Clearance After Thorough Study

Though FOT was reluctant to approve the project initially citing a lack of technical references, it gave nod following independent assessments by experts from HEIG-VD and the engineering firm GESTE who supported the project’s safety and technical documentation. These evaluations led to the approval, which includes ongoing tests and measurements to ensure no adverse impact on the railway infrastructure.

Beyond Switzerland, Sun-Ways is expanding its reach internationally. Pilot projects are being developed with the SNCF in France, and discussions are underway in countries such as Spain, Romania, South Korea, and even as far away as China and the US.

The start-up has won several innovation awards, including those from the Powr Earth Foundation and the Equans Group in France.

Sun-Ways’ Strengths

Thanks to its patented technology, the company’s system integrates renewable energy production into railway infrastructures. Due to its flexibility and adaptability, its device makes it possible to easily install and remove all or part of a solar power plant placed between the rails of a railway track. Ultimately, the company’s solution will be able to take advantage of the current development of power electronics in the field of linear photovoltaics for the injection of the electricity produced into the train traction network and thus create a railway Smart Hub. In addition, the system has no visual or environmental impact, making it a sustainable and consensual energy solution.