Sunways installs solar panels on Swiss railway tracks

Swiss startup Sunways, in collaboration with the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne, has developed a patented method to install solar panels along railway tracks to accelerate Europe’s energy transition.

The project utilizes a specialized train designed to install one-meter-wide photovoltaic panels while moving along the rails. If applied to the entire 5,317-kilometer Swiss railway network, the panels could cover an area equivalent to 760 football fields and produce approximately 1 terawatt-hour of energy annually, representing about 2 percent of Switzerland’s total energy consumption.

While Sunways plans to expand into Germany, Austria, and Italy, the International Union of Railways has raised concerns regarding potential cracks, increased fire risks in green areas, and light reflection interfering with rail direction. In response, the company stated that their panels are more durable than standard versions, feature anti-reflective filters, and include integrated sensors to ensure proper functionality.