Swiss start-up Sun-Ways is taking solar panels to railway tracks in Switzerland in an innovative way. The company has patented a removable system with the help of EPFL, the Swiss federal technology institute in Lausanne. Sun-Ways plans to install its photovoltaic panels near Buttes train station in the west of the country, pending sign-off from the Federal Office of Transport. The panels will be laid by a train developed by Swiss track maintenance company Scheuchzer that will travel along the rails, laying photovoltaic panels as it goes. The train uses a piston mechanism to unfurl the one-metre-wide panels, which are pre-assembled at a Swiss factory.
The specially designed train lays the panels on the tracks in a mechanical process similar to unrolling a carpet. Sun-Ways’ removable solar panels will allow the railway tracks to be cleared when essential maintenance work is required. Once installed, the photovoltaic cells will produce electricity, which will be fed into the power grid and used to power homes as it would be more complicated to feed it into railway operations.
Sun-Ways estimates that its panels could cover the entirety of Switzerland’s 5,317 km-long railway network, covering an area equivalent to 760 football fields. The start-up claims that the national rail network could produce one Terawatt-hour (TWh) of solar energy per year, which is equivalent to around 2% of Switzerland’s total energy consumption.
The company aims to go transnational and extend its system to Germany, Austria, and Italy after completing its pilot project near Buttes. Sun-Ways is confident that its panels are more resistant than conventional ones, and the company has built-in sensors to ensure they work properly. The photovoltaic panels also have brushes attached to the end of trains to remove dirt from the surface of the panels.
However, the International Union of Railways has expressed concerns about micro-cracks in the panels, a higher risk of fires in green areas, and reflections that could distract train drivers. Sun-Ways claims that its panels are more resistant and could have an anti-reflection filter to keep out of train drivers’ eyes. The start-up is also working on a system to melt frozen precipitation, which could hinder the use of horizontal panels in snowy and icy conditions.
In conclusion, Sun-Ways’ innovative approach to rolling out solar panels on railway tracks in Switzerland could be a significant step forward in sustainable energy generation. If successful, the project could be expanded to cover the entirety of Switzerland’s railway network, with the potential to produce one Terawatt-hour of solar energy per year. While there are concerns over micro-cracks, fire risks, and reflections, Sun-Ways believes its panels are more resistant than conventional ones and can be made with an anti-reflection filter. The company is also working on solutions for removing dirt and melting frozen precipitation from the panels. If Sun-Ways can prove the effectiveness and safety of its system, it could pave the way for sustainable energy generation on railway tracks worldwide.
