Over 11,000 trains have passed over photovoltaic panels installed on an active railway line in Switzerland without incidents. The startup Sun-Ways has demonstrated that it is possible to generate electricity using railway infrastructure without consuming new land.
The Swiss startup Sun-Ways has successfully completed the first phase of tests for its system of solar panels installed between the rails of an operational railway line. Since April 24, 2025, more than 11,000 trains have passed over the 48 photovoltaic modules placed along a 100-metre stretch in Buttes, Neuchâtel canton, with no recorded safety, traffic, or maintenance issues, according to a report by Swissinfo.
Railway solar energy without occupying new land
The project addresses one of the main challenges of photovoltaics: the lack of available space to install panels without competing with agricultural, natural, or urban uses. By placing the modules between the tracks, existing railway corridors are utilised without altering their primary function.
The pilot installation consists of 48 panels, each with a capacity of 380 W, totalling a power output of 18 kWp. The electricity generated is fed into the local grid. Since May 2025, the plant has produced over 16,000 kWh, despite a shutdown of approximately one month due to snow and technical work.
Sun-Ways estimates that if the system were applied in suitable sections of the Swiss railway network, it could generate up to 1 billion kWh per year, a figure equivalent to the consumption of about 250,000 Swiss households. The company emphasises that the key is not to occupy new land, a critical factor in a mountainous country with a high density of infrastructure.
Removable panels to facilitate maintenance
One of the most innovative aspects of the system is that the panels can be quickly removed to allow for maintenance work on the track. According to Joseph Scuderi, founder of Sun-Ways, a module composed of three panels and six metres in length can be disconnected from the grid and removed in about 10 minutes. The railway company Scheuchzer has developed specific machinery to install and remove these modules, streamlining deployment in future sections.
The test has also dispelled doubts about dirt accumulation. Initially, the company had planned a cleaning system with brushes, but the passage of trains generates an airflow that sweeps away accumulated dust. In this section, the trains reach speeds of up to 90 km/h, sufficient to keep the panels naturally clean.
"A module formed by three panels and six metres in length can be disconnected from the electrical grid and removed in about 10 minutes," explains Joseph Scuderi, founder of Sun-Ways.
The challenge of transporting electricity over long distances
Despite the technical success, the technology still faces a challenge: transporting electricity over long distances. Julien Pouget, associate professor at the Valais University of Applied Sciences, warns that sections longer than 500 metres require specific electrical architecture to raise voltage and move energy efficiently.
International interest is already awakening. The French railway company SNCF is participating in the technical monitoring of the Swiss pilot and will study the data until April 2028. There are also contacts with Rete Ferroviaria Italiana and partners in Asia. Sun-Ways aims to shorten the experimental phase and obtain final approval to extend the system to more kilometres of track.
For Spanish companies in the railway and energy sectors, the Swiss model opens a path for exploration. Spain has over 15,000 kilometres of railway lines, many of them in areas with high solar radiation. The possibility of installing panels between tracks without occupying new land could be an interesting alternative to boost distributed generation, although the challenge of electric transport and adaptation to national regulations will require specific studies.
The pilot project in Buttes will continue to be monitored until 2028. If the results remain positive, Sun-Ways hopes to obtain permission to install panels on longer stretches and eventually market the system internationally. The next stop: demonstrating that solar energy can also travel by train.
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