Swiss startup develops a project to install removable solar panels right under the railway, expected to be deployed in 2025.
The Swiss Federal Office of Transport (FOT) licensed the implementation of the country’s first mobile solar power system project on a railway line, Interesting Engineering reported on October 6. This is the first time such a project has been approved in Switzerland, paving the way for innovative solar energy solutions. The project, conducted by Swiss startup Sun-ways, is planned to be deployed next year, on a 100-meter section of railway line 221 operated by the transport company transN of the state of Neuchâtel.
The pilot system will have 48 solar panels, each with a capacity of 380 W, for a total capacity of 18 kW. The project has a total cost of about 686,000 USD, helping to add electricity to the local power grid. Sun-ways will work with local electricity supplier Viteos and railway electrical installation company DG-Rail to build the new system.
Sun-ways said the solar cells can be installed by hand or by a specialized railway machine from Scheuchzer SA with the ability to install up to 1,000 m2 of solar panels per day. The battery system is also designed to be removable, allowing for maintenance work when needed.
Initially, in the summer of 2023, the Swiss FOT rejected the project due to the lack of technical references for the proposed technology. With support from partners, Sun-ways invited two mechanical engineering professors from the Vaud Canton School of Engineering and Management (HEIG-VD). They conducted independent evaluations of specially designed prototypes.
Then Geste Engineering, a Swiss company specializing in large-scale railway projects, conducted a technical and safety analysis. The objective is to confirm the system fully meets FOT safety standards as the pilot system will be installed on an active railway.
According to Sun-ways, their technology provides a viable solution to utilize unused space without disrupting train traffic or interfering with track maintenance work. This solution also promotes the development of solar power, consistent with the trend of converting to clean energy.