Switzerland amazes the world with its solar-powered train tracks: more than 11,000 trains running smoothly
The Sun-Ways project does not directly power a train; rather, it uses the space between the rails to generate electricity without occupying new land.
Switzerland has made headlines around the world by turning the space between the rails into a surface capable of generating electricity. The Swiss startup Sun-Ways has installed removable solar panels on an active railroad track, allowing trains to continue running over them while the infrastructure generates energy.
The test is being conducted in Buttes, in the canton of Neuchâtel, on a 100-meter stretch of track operated by TransN. Forty-eight photovoltaic panels have been installed there between the rails, resting on the ties, with an installed capacity of 18 kW. This demonstrates whether a conventional railway line can be converted into a small distributed solar power plant without interrupting operations.
The key point is that the panels are removable. Sun-Ways’ technology allows the panels to be lifted when the track needs to be inspected, a tie needs to be replaced, or maintenance work needs to be performed. In the railroad industry, where everything is subject to strict safety standards, vibrations, inspections, and schedules, this feature is no minor detail.
Energy Without Taking Up New Land
The first takeaway from the experiment is related to energy. Since May 2025, the installation has generated more than 16,000 kWh—an amount equivalent to the annual consumption of several households. It’s not a huge number, but it’s not meant to be: we’re talking about a 100-meter test section (.0621 miles). The real question arises when the system is scaled up to miles of existing track.
According to Sun-Ways’ estimates, one kilometer equipped with this solution could produce about 200 MWh per year—enough energy to power around 60 households. The company also estimates that a specialized rail-mounted machine could install up to 1,000 square meters of panels per day. If these figures hold true for larger projects, the appeal is clear: generating renewable electricity using existing infrastructure, without taking up fields, rooftops, forests, or farmland.
That is the main underlying argument. Europe needs more solar energy, but every new solar farm sparks debates about the landscape, land use, and grid connection. Railways, on the other hand, are already in place. They are linear corridors that are regulated, maintained, and spread throughout the territory. Until now, the space between the rails has been an underutilized area from an energy perspective.
A Promising Future, but Still in the Testing Phase
The project remains a pilot program, authorized for three years, and must still demonstrate its winter performance, long-term reliability, actual maintenance costs, and integration with local power grids.
The initial signs, however, are positive. Sun-Ways reports that more than 11,000 trains have already passed over the panels without compromising the stability of the installation. A curious effect has also been observed: the passage of the trains themselves helps to partially clean the panels thanks to the movement of air, reducing one of the common problems of any photovoltaic system.
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The international interest confirms that the idea has struck a chord. France, through the SNCF Group, is already collaborating with Sun-Ways to study the potential of this technology. If the model works, the railroad could go from being merely a consumer of electricity to also becoming a distributed producer.
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