Switzerland develops project to install detachable solar panels right under railway tracks

The Swiss Federal Office of Transport (FOT) has just granted permission to deploy the country's first mobile solar power system project on a railway line.

This is the first time such a project has been approved in Switzerland, paving the way for innovative solar energy solutions. The project, led by Swiss startup Sun-ways, is scheduled to be launched next year on a 100-meter stretch of the 221 railway line operated by Neuchâtel’s transport company transN.

The pilot system will have 48 solar panels, each rated at 380W, for a total output of 18kW. The project, which will cost about $686,000 in total, will help supplement the local grid. Sun-ways will work with local electricity provider Viteos and railway power installation company DG-Rail to build the new system.

The solar panels can be installed by hand or by a dedicated rail machine from Scheuchzer SA, which can install up to 1,000 square meters of panels per day, Sun-ways said. The panels are 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 the support of its partners, Sun-ways invited two mechanical engineering professors from the Vaud State School of Engineering and Management (HEIG-VD). They conducted an independent evaluation of the specially designed prototypes.

Geste Engineering, a Swiss company specializing in large-scale railway projects, then carried out a technical and safety analysis. The goal was to confirm that the system fully met FOT safety standards, as the pilot system would be installed on an active railway line.

According to Sun-ways, their technology offers a viable solution to utilize unused space without disrupting train traffic or interfering with track maintenance. This solution also promotes the development of solar power, in line with the trend of transitioning to clean energy.

According to Intellectual Property and Innovation

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