SWISS removable Solar Railway Track

Swiss startup Sun-Ways is preparing to install an 18 kW pilot photovoltaic (PV) system on a 100-meter stretch of a railway line in the Swiss canton of Neuchatel. This project will place solar panels between the railway tracks, utilizing otherwise unused space. The system is designed to generate renewable energy while coexisting with the regular operation of trains. The goal of the pilot is to demonstrate the potential for large-scale solar energy production along railway lines, contributing to sustainable energy solutions.

Switzerland's Federal Office of Transport (FOT) has approved the country's first removable solar power plant to be installed on a railway line. This project, led by Swiss startup Sun-Ways, will be deployed on a 100-meter section of the railway operated by transN, the public transport company in the canton of Neuchatel. The system will consist of 48 solar panels, each producing 380 W, with a total capacity of 18 kW. The power generated will be fed into the local grid.

The project will cost €621,800 ($685,920), and Sun-Ways is partnering with local electricity provider Viteos and railway electrical specialist DG-Rail for its construction.

Although the FOT initially rejected the project in the summer of 2023 due to a lack of technical references, Sun-Ways sought support from industrial partners and conducted independent assessments with two professors from the Haute Ecole d'Ingénierie et de Gestion du Canton de Vaud (HEIG-VD). Additionally, Geste Engineering, a Swiss railway engineering specialist, performed a technical and safety analysis. Their evaluations demonstrated that the solar system is fully compatible with FOT’s safety standards, ensuring it can operate safely on a railway line that is still in use.

Sun-Ways believes its solar technology offers a practical solution to the growing controversies surrounding solar power plant installations in the Alps. Their system utilizes unused space between railway tracks without interfering with train traffic, maintenance, or inspections. The solar modules can be installed either manually or mechanically using a specialized railway machine developed by Scheuchzer SA, a railway maintenance expert. This machine can install up to 1,000 square meters of solar panels per day. Additionally, the system is fully removable, allowing for easy removal when maintenance on the railway is needed.

The authorization from Switzerland's Federal Office of Transport (FOT) comes with several technical conditions, including ongoing tests and measurements throughout the pilot project. These are meant to ensure that the solar system has no negative impacts on the railway infrastructure. Sun-Ways will also conduct removal and installation tests to prove that their system can easily adapt to the demands of maintenance and rail operations. These tests will be supervised by RM voie ferrée, a company specializing in railway safety and inspections.

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