A pioneering Swiss project to install removeable solar panels between railway tracks has completed its first year of operation with encouraging results, suggesting the technology can generate electricity without disrupting train services, reported the Greater Geneva Bern area (GGBa) investment promotion agency.
More than 11,000 trains have passed over a 100-metre test installation in Buttes, in the canton of Neuchâtel, since it was commissioned a year ago. The installation has proved completely stable and safe, according to Sun Ways. The photovoltaic panels are mounted on railway sleepers between the rails and can be removed quickly when maintenance work is required. Sun-Ways says this is the first installation of its kind in the world.
The electricity generated is fed into the local grid. So far, the pilot project has produced more than 16,000 kilowatt hours of electricity, roughly equivalent to the annual consumption of three or four Swiss households.
Sun-Ways estimates that, excluding tunnels and poorly exposed sections of track, Switzerland’s 5,320-kilometre rail network could generate up to one billion kilowatt hours of solar electricity a year—enough to supply around 300,000 households, or about 2% of the country’s annual electricity consumption.
The installation has had no impact on daily train operations. One frequently cited concern—that sunlight reflected from the panels could dazzle train drivers—has so far proved unfounded, with no such incidents reported.
International interest
The project, which is supported by the Swiss Innovation Agency, is attracting growing interest abroad. In February, France’s national railway operator, SNCF, signed a cooperation agreement with Sun-Ways. Sun Ways said France offered enormous potential and that the partnership would help raise the profile of the Swiss technology. Discussions are also under way with Italy’s railway infrastructure manager, RFI, while companies in South Korea and Indonesia have also expressed interest.
Technical hurdles remain
Despite the positive early results, technical challenges remain before the concept can be deployed on a large scale. The current technology is not yet suited to installations longer than about 500 metres. Another obstacle is converting the electricity produced into high voltage for efficient transmission over longer distances. At some point it is hoped some the electricity generated could be used by trains using the track.
Another obstacle is regulation. Joseph Scuderi, Sun-Ways’ founder, says securing regulatory approval in Switzerland could take up to three years. He has called for the creation of a regulatory sandbox that would allow innovative technologies to be tested through pilot projects while the regulatory framework catches up.
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GGBa article (in French) – Take a 5 minute French test now
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