Switzerland tests solar panels on train tracks and could change the future of renewable energy

The project, created by the Swiss company Sun-Ways, is considered pioneering for allowing the rapid installation and removal of photovoltaic modules without interrupting train circulation.

“We install solar panels as we would on the roof of a house,” said Joseph Scuderi, CEO of the startup, during the inauguration, on April 24, of the first removable solar plant on a railway line.

The technology began to be tested in the small village of Buttes, in the canton of Neuchâtel, and is already attracting interest from countries such as South Korea, Spain, China, the United States and Indonesia.

The proposal comes at a time when several countries are seeking to expand the production of renewable energy without occupying new natural or agricultural areas. Instead of building large solar plants on dedicated land, the solution takes advantage of space that already exists along thousands of kilometers of railways.

How do solar panels on train tracks in Switzerland work?

The pilot system occupies a 100-meter section of the Buttes rail line. 48 removable solar panels were installed at the site between the tracks, directly on the sleepers, structures that support the railway.

The modules have a total power of close to 18 kilowatts and can generate around 16 thousand kilowatt-hours per year. Enough energy to supply between four and six homes. Currently, all electricity produced is injected into the local electrical grid.

The big difference of the Sun-Ways project is the ability to remove the panels. A machine developed in partnership with the Swiss railway company Scheuchzer can install or remove up to a thousand square meters of modules in a few hours.

This allows maintenance teams to quickly access the tracks whenever necessary.

According to the company, the panels can also be installed manually and have anti-reflective coatings to avoid any risk of glare for drivers. Furthermore, they were designed to resist constant vibrations and the appearance of microcracks caused by the passage of trains.

Another curious solution involves cleaning the equipment. Brushes installed on the bottom of the wagons pass over the modules during journeys, removing dust and residue that could reduce energy efficiency.

Why is Switzerland betting on solar panels on train tracks?

Switzerland faces the challenge of significantly scaling up its renewable energy generation to meet climate targets in the coming decades. At the same time, conventional solar power plant projects often face resistance when they occupy areas of great scenic value.

In this context, the use of railways appears as an attractive alternative. Sustainable railway technology takes advantage of already built corridors, avoiding new environmental impacts and reducing conflicts related to land use.

According to Sun-Ways estimates, the adaptation of the approximately 5,320 kilometers of the Swiss railway network could generate approximately 1 billion kilowatt-hours per year. The volume corresponds to the consumption of around 300 thousand homes and would represent approximately 2% of the country’s entire electrical demand.

The company believes that, in the future, the energy produced could be used not only to supply the electrical grid, but also to power train stations, signaling systems and even the trains themselves.

The challenges of transforming railways into solar plants

Despite the enthusiasm, experts warn that large-scale adoption still depends on answers to several technical questions.

The panels are exposed to vibrations, dust, metallic particles, snow and pressure waves generated by the constant passage of trains. It will also be necessary to evaluate the costs associated with the periodic removal of modules for track maintenance.

That’s why, the Swiss Federal Transport Office authorized the project as a controlled experiment only. Initially scheduled to last six months, the test was extended to three years, during which aspects such as equipment wear, operational safety, energy efficiency and impacts on railway infrastructure will be monitored.

Specialists from the railway sector and the photovoltaic industry are also monitoring the project to check whether the panels can maintain satisfactory performance over time.

Even in the face of uncertainty, the initiative is already seen as one of the most innovative experiences in the global energy transition. If the results confirm the technical and economic viability of the solution, the rails could no longer serve only the transport of passengers and cargo to become a new source of clean energy generation.

The Swiss experience shows that the expansion of renewable energy does not only depend on the construction of new plants. In some cases, the answer may lie in transforming existing infrastructure in energy assets capable of producing electricity without occupying a single additional square meter of land.