Train Tracks as a Global Solar Farm?
- Deborah Harvey
- Aug 17
- 7 min read
A Swiss Pilot Project Puts PV Panels between the Rails
In a quiet village in western Switzerland, an unassuming stretch of railway has become a proving ground for an ambitious idea: turning train tracks into linear solar farms.
This tactic aims to harness unused space for clean energy, all while trains continue to run. It is a feat that could reshape how people think about renewable power and transportation infrastructure. If adopted globally, it could conceivably become a pillar of the world’s renewable energy production, lowering household electricity costs and providing greater energy security.
As with all new technologies, there are challenges: Photovoltaic (PV) panels need to be clean—and snow-free—to work optimally, and routine rail maintenance would require the solar panels to be temporarily removed and reinstalled. The potential for expansion to hundreds of thousands of miles of train track is exciting, but the actual costs and durability of the systems are not yet known.
Still, there is growing global interest in generating vast amounts of electricity on infrastructure that already exists—and without train conductors or travelers noticing it.
From Inspiration to Installment
The Sun-Ways concept was born in 2020 when Joseph Scuderi, the startup’s founder, was waiting for a train in Renens, near Lausanne, Switzerland. Looking at the empty gap between the rails, he wondered, “Why not use that space to produce solar power?”
That simple question sparked five years of development, culminating in a pilot installation of 48 removable solar panels on a 100-meter (328-foot) section of track in Buttes, canton Neuchâtel.
“We installed solar panels as we would on the roof of a house,” Scuderi said at the rain-soaked unveiling of the project in April 2025, adding that getting this far “has been a miracle.”
Asked by The Earth & I what triggered his innovation, he credited a Walt Disney character. “Ever since I was a little boy, I've been fascinated by the world of inventions, and my hero was Gyro Gearloose!” The 1950s-era comic book about a “madcap inventor” was built around one of the characters in the Donald Duck universe. Scuderi’s inclination to always look for a solution to everyday problems never left him, he said, “and I have a notebook with dozens of inventions that sleeps at the bottom of a drawer.”
Beyond his youthful comic book hero inspiration, he eventually became head of communication and marketing for 11 years for a major Swiss electricity group. “I was responsible for promoting photovoltaics,” he told The Earth & I, “a field I'm passionate about.”
The Sun-Ways pilot array sits on Line 221 of the Swiss national rail network and feeds electricity into the local grid. Each panel is a standard 380-watt module, and together the 48 panels are expected to produce about 16,000 kilowatt-hours (kWh) of electricity per year—roughly the annual consumption of four to six average Swiss households.
Sun-Ways secured approval from the Federal Office of Transport (FOT) after extensive safety studies, as regulators were initially cautious about putting equipment on active tracks. In fact, the FOT rejected the plan in 2023 until independent experts verified that the specially designed panels would not interfere with trains or signaling.
Ultimately, authorities gave a green light for a three-year trial in Buttes under the condition that the system be monitored through all seasons. Starting in late April, passenger trains began rolling over this unique solar power plant as part of the long-term test.
Fitting Solar Panels into Rail Infrastructure
Installing solar panels onto active railways requires precise engineering. In the Sun-Ways system, each module lies flat between the rails on the ties (also known as sleepers), secured by a patented rail-to-rail fastening mechanism. This setup allows trains to pass safely above while enabling easy removal for maintenance, such as rail grinding or ballast tamping.
As Scuderi explains, the real challenge wasn’t producing energy but doing so safely between active rails. The panels’ quick-detach design makes that possible.
To streamline installation, Sun-Ways partnered with the Scheuchzer company, which developed a mechanized vehicle capable of laying or removing 1,000 square meters (10,760 sq ft) of panels per day. Each panel is designed to fit standard-gauge tracks—1,435 mm (4 ft 8½ in), the most common rail size in Europe and North America—but they can also be adapted for wider or narrower gauges.
Railroad gauges vary widely around the world, which presents both a design challenge and an opportunity for broader adoption. India runs on broad gauge (1,676 mm or 5 ft 6 in), while parts of Japan and several African countries operate narrow-gauge lines as tight as 1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in). Sun-Ways designed its system to be modular and adjustable, and this flexibility means the core concept is globally viable, though each country’s network may still need tailored solutions and new rounds of certification before solar panels can hit the rails.
Engineered for resilience, the system remains stable under speeds up to 150 km/h (93 mph) and winds of 240 km/h (149 mph), using low-profile, anti-reflective black PV panels to reduce glare. To ensure efficiency, brush-equipped trains can clean the panels as they pass.
Once installed, the panels can feed power into railway infrastructure, the public grid, or the traction system that powers electric trains. This eliminates the need for additional inverters. For now, the Buttes pilot connects to the local grid, but future versions may link directly to railway substations for maximum impact.
Benefits of Solar-on-Rail Technology
An obvious benefit of using railway tracks as a platform for solar generation is the efficient land use. The vast footprint of rail corridors, which are typically off-limits for other development, can be dual-purposed to produce clean energy without consuming new land or marring natural landscapes. “By exploiting the vast unexploited surface along railways, [we] aim to revolutionize photovoltaic energy production,” Sun-Ways says. In Europe alone, there is an estimated 260,000 km (161,556 miles) of train tracks, representing huge untapped solar potential.
“Exploiting railroad tracks to produce solar power is a great idea,” agrees researcher Martin Heinrich. PhD, of Germany’s Fraunhofer Institute, noting that it’s smarter to put panels in built environments than to spread them over untouched land.
Another advantage of the Sun-Ways system is its synergy with existing infrastructure. Since rail companies are major electricity consumers, they can directly use the solar power generated on their tracks. In Switzerland alone, where over 5,300 km (3,293 miles) of railway exists, Sun-Ways estimates that solar panels could produce about 1 billion kWh annually. This would account for roughly 2% of national electricity consumption, equivalent to powering 300,000 households. The Swiss FOT believes public transit systems could eventually self-generate 20%–30% of their electricity needs with solar installations.
The modular nature of the technology also enables swift, scalable deployment, with panels installed during regular maintenance schedules and easily repositioned when needed. With minimal visual impact and no new land required, solar-equipped rail corridors offer a sustainable solution without disrupting scenery or farmland.
Solar panels could produce about 1 billion kWh annually [in Switzerland]. This would account for roughly 2% of national electricity consumption.
Potential Drawbacks
Despite its promise, the solar-on-rail concept presents several technical and logistical challenges. Maintenance remains a central concern, as solar panels must be removed during regular rail work, such as tamping or grinding. This is why Sun-Ways developed a removable system, though it does require extra operational steps.
Repeated handling could lead to damage or wear. Dirt, grease, and snow also pose issues for performance. Although brush attachments help clean the panels, snow accumulation may still halt production in winter. The panels are built to withstand harsh rail environments, including strong vibrations and high-speed traffic, but real-world durability remains under observation throughout the multiyear trial.
Costs and scalability are additional hurdles. The 100-meter Buttes pilot cost CHF 585,000 ($723,000) (which includes R&D, studies, prototypes, construction, and installation), and future scale should reduce per-unit costs.
The panels are built to withstand harsh rail environments, including strong vibrations and high-speed traffic, but real-world durability remains under observation.
Global Interest Growing
While the Sun-Ways pilot in Switzerland is the first to operate solar panels on an active railway line, interest in rail-based solar power is growing internationally.
In France, railway operator SNCF launched the Solveig project in early 2025, deploying containerized solar-plus-battery systems on unused rail lines. A proof-of-concept at the Achères Technical Center tested eight solar panels on a dormant track, with plans to expand across low-traffic segments identified through solar mapping.
Other countries expressing interest include Spain and Romania, with pilot installations expected soon, as well as China and the United States, which are exploring the concept for their larger rail systems. Even without direct collaboration, several nations have begun parallel experiments. In Italy, startup Greenrail has been testing solar-embedded sleepers, while in Germany a British firm trialed between-rail panels on a Deutsche Bahn test track. Japan has also explored placing panels between rails on commuter lines. These projects highlight growing recognition of the potential for the world’s rail networks serving as large-scale solar platforms.
Meanwhile, Sun-Ways is pursuing partnerships abroad and has confirmed pilot projects with multiple countries. The Swiss firm says South Korea is one of those nations.
[The] broader goal is to transform global railways into a vast solar power network.
For Scuderi and his team at Sun-Ways, the Buttes pilot marks just the starting point of what he believes could be a vast solar power network.
In Switzerland alone, with 5,300 km (3,293 miles) of track, Scuderi estimates that installing 2.5 million panels could yield approximately 1 terawatt-hour of solar electricity annually. That would represent about 20% of the country’s current PV output.
With the Swiss project underway, Sun-Ways is already seeking faster international adoption through partnerships. In countries with flexible or private railway systems, implementation could proceed more rapidly. Over the next five years, the company plans to equip 10–100 km (about 6.2 to 62 miles) of Swiss rail, while simultaneously pursuing projects in France, Canada, Mexico, Indonesia, India, and elsewhere.
Scuderi envisions an even more ambitious future: a world where much of the Earth’s rail infrastructure serves as a renewable energy backbone, quietly producing terawatt-hours of green power. But achieving that vision will require continued engineering improvements, reduced production costs, committed transportation partners, and strong policy support.
*Deborah Harvey is a writer and researcher focused on science, technology, sustainability, and global innovation. Her work explores how emerging ideas shape the future of energy, infrastructure, and the environment.
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