Solar panels are typically installed on rooftops, buildings, or open fields, but Switzerland has taken an innovative approach to clean energy by transforming railway tracks into electricity-generating solar power plants.
The project was launched in April 2025 in the Swiss town of Buttes, where a company called Sun-Ways installed specially designed solar panels along a 100-meter section of railway track.
One of the project’s most innovative features is that the panels can be quickly removed and reinstalled whenever track maintenance or repairs are required, ensuring that railway operations are not disrupted.
The pilot installation consists of 48 photovoltaic solar panels with a combined electricity generation capacity of 18 kilowatts.
According to the company, the continuous movement of trains has not damaged the panels. In fact, the passing trains help remove some of the dust that accumulates on the surface, allowing the panels to maintain their efficiency.
A report states that since May 2025, the solar installation has generated more than 16,000 kilowatt-hours (kWh) of electricity—enough to meet the annual energy needs of several homes.
Sun-Ways says the pilot project will continue until 2028. The company estimates that if similar solar panels were installed along one kilometer of railway track, they could generate approximately 200 megawatt-hours (MWh) of electricity annually, enough to supply around 60 households with power.
According to Sun-Ways, the project demonstrates that existing infrastructure can be effectively used to produce renewable energy without occupying agricultural land, forests, or additional open spaces.
The innovative technology has attracted interest from several countries, including France, where research is already underway into its potential applications.