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by Stephan Lamprecht
Swiss start-up tests solar system in the track bed: pilot project launched in the canton of Neuchâtel
30.4.2025
Translation: machine translated
In the canton of Neuchâtel, the Swiss start-up Sun-Ways has installed a solar system directly in the track bed. The pilot project aims to show whether railway infrastructure can be used efficiently to generate electricity.
Last week, on 25 April, the Swiss start-up Sun-Ways inaugurated a pilot project in the canton of Neuchâtel. The company installed a photovoltaic system between the rails on a 100-metre section of the 221 railway line. It consists of 48 solar modules with a total output of 18 kilowatts and is expected to generate around 16,000 kilowatt hours of electricity per year. This will be fed into the public grid. To put this into perspective: an average four-person household consumes around 4,000 to 5,000 kilowatt hours of electricity per year.
Technical implementation and maintenance
The solar modules were rolled out between the rails using a specially developed mounting train from Scheuchzer. The system enables a mechanically removable installation so that the modules can be quickly removed and reinstalled for maintenance work or other requirements.
Source: Sun-Ways
To clean the modules, Sun-Ways relies on rotating cylindrical brushes that are attached to the end of regular trains. During the journey, they remove dirt from the solar panels - up to 300 metres per hour.
Approval and test phase
The Federal Office of Transport (FOT) initially rejected the project due to a lack of technical references. Only after the company had developed prototypes and demonstrated their basic functionality did the FOT authorise the pilot operation, which is scheduled to run for three years. During this phase, further investigations will be carried out into the soiling of the modules, their coating and the effects on the railway infrastructure.
Sun-Ways sees considerable potential for power generation in the utilisation of the space between railway tracks. In Switzerland alone, up to one terawatt hour of solar power could be produced annually on around 5,000 kilometres of the entire rail network. This corresponds to around two per cent of the national electricity demand.
Future projects
In addition, Sun-Ways says it is currently in negotiations with the French state railway SNCF and other railway companies in Spain, Romania and South Korea. Initial exploratory talks are also being held with potential partners in China, Thailand, Australia and the USA.
Header image: Sun-Ways
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