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The pilot project was launched in 2023 in the village of Bütt in the canton of Neuchâtel. According to Euronews Earth, 48 solar panels with a total capacity of 18 kWp were installed along a stretch of approximately 100 meters. Initially, the project was conceived as a three-year experiment, but the early results proved successful enough to consider it a potentially permanent solution.
As Sun-Ways notes, the system generated about 16,000 kWh of electricity over the course of a year, with efficiency losses of about 10% compared to optimally tilted installations. For comparison, this is comparable to the annual electricity consumption of an average all-electric household in the United Kingdom.
The company claims that scaling the technology across Switzerland’s entire 5,317-km railway network could theoretically generate about 1 TWh of electricity per year—roughly 2% of the country’s energy consumption.
The idea of transforming railways into energy corridors is being considered against the backdrop of Europe’s accelerated transition to renewable energy sources. However, the technology also raises safety concerns.
The International Union of Railways has previously pointed out potential risks, including microcracks in the panels, fire hazards, and the possibility of train operators being blinded by light reflections. Sun-Ways states that these issues are addressed through an anti-glare coating, reinforced panel construction, and built-in monitoring systems. The panels are cleaned automatically using brushes mounted on the trains.
The company asserts that during its first year of operation, the system functioned without any malfunctions and required no additional maintenance.
Sun-Ways is also exploring the possibility of integrating the generated energy directly into the railway infrastructure—specifically into traction substations and overhead contact lines.
Following the success of the pilot project in Switzerland, the company is expanding its international plans. Sun-Ways has already signed a cooperation agreement in Italy with a partner working with the railway infrastructure operator Rete Ferroviaria Italiana. The company has also received approval for a project in South Korea and is in talks with partners in the Netherlands, China, India, and Singapore.
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