Switzerland is experimenting with an innovative approach to clean energy by installing solar panels directly on railway tracks.
The pilot project, launched in the village of Buttes in western Switzerland, aims to harness solar power from the often-unused space between train tracks to fuel rail operations.
This initiative is being led by the Swiss startup Sun-Ways, founded by Joseph Scuderi, who conceived the idea while waiting at a train station in 2020.
Backed by a 585,000 Swiss franc (approximately ₹6.04 crore) investment, the trial has installed 48 solar panels across a 100-metre stretch of railway managed by the transN railway operator.
Initially turned down in 2023 by the Federal Office of Transport (FOT) due to concerns over train safety and potential interference with maintenance, the project was later approved after Sun-Ways addressed the issues through independent safety evaluations. The company developed a removable solar panel system, ensuring track maintenance is not compromised. Maintenance partner Scheuchzer is capable of deploying or removing 1,000 square metres of panels within hours, allowing seamless upkeep of railway infrastructure.
Unlike conventional rooftop installations, Sun-Ways’ track-based solar panels are designed for mobility. According to Scuderi, "We installed solar panels as we would on the roof of a house," highlighting the simplicity of the concept despite the challenges of implementation.
The generated photovoltaic power can be utilised in several ways. It may supply energy to nearby railway infrastructure like signals and stations, be fed into the regional electricity grid, or — most promisingly — be used directly to power trains. Sun-Ways believes that reinjecting solar energy into the traction power network will deliver the greatest benefits.
If scaled across Switzerland’s entire 5,320-kilometre railway network, this technology could potentially produce up to one billion kilowatt-hours of solar energy annually — sufficient to meet the electricity needs of around 300,000 homes.
The innovation has drawn global attention, with interest from countries including the US and China, and ongoing collaborations in South Korea, Spain, and Romania.
Florence Pictet, spokesperson for the FOT, praised the initiative, noting, "It is good that rail and public transport companies are innovating, including in renewable energy production."