Most people pass time at train stations scrolling on their phones or staring at the tracks. But when Joseph Scuderi found himself waiting for a train in Renens, Switzerland in 2020, his thoughts took a different route. He wasn’t thinking about delays or train schedules—he was wondering why the long strips of space between the tracks were just sitting there, unused.
Four years later, that idle moment turned into a full-blown solar energy experiment. Scuderi’s company, Sun-Ways, just installed 100 meters of solar panels on actual railway tracks in a small Swiss village called Buttes. This quirky but ingenious idea could become a major part of the clean energy puzzle—not just for Switzerland, but for countries around the world.
Let’s break down what’s happening, why it’s exciting, and what it could mean for the future of both energy and transportation.
From Idle Tracks to Energy Producers
At first glance, train tracks might seem like a strange place to harvest solar energy. They’re narrow, often dusty, and, well, they have trains thundering over them all day. But that’s exactly what makes them intriguing: they already exist, they run through open, sunny terrain, and they’re everywhere. Instead of building massive solar farms that take up farmland or natural habitats, why not reuse the infrastructure we already have?
That’s where Sun-Ways comes in. Their system involves placing solar panels directly onto the wooden or concrete planks (called sleepers) that sit beneath the metal rails. It’s kind of like sticking solar tiles between the cracks of a sidewalk—just more high-tech and train-friendly.
But Sun-Ways isn’t just slapping down panels and hoping for the best. They designed their solar system to be removable. Using a special train equipped with a mechanical arm—built in collaboration with Swiss railway maintenance company Scheuchzer—these panels can be rolled out or rolled up quickly. The entire 100-meter test installation in Buttes took just a few hours.
Why the Removability Matters
At first, removable solar panels might sound like a gimmick. But in the world of railway operations, flexibility is key. Tracks need regular inspections, cleaning, and maintenance. Having a fixed, immovable solar system would make that nearly impossible. With Sun-Ways’ approach, maintenance crews can simply unroll the panels, do their work, and roll them back into place.
To prevent the panels from getting dusty or covered in debris from passing trains, they even came up with a clever cleaning tool: a rotating cylindrical brush that can be attached to the back of trains, scrubbing the panels clean as the train travels.
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Let’s Talk Energy: How Much Power Can These Tracks Generate?
You might be wondering, “Okay, it’s cool… but how much energy are we really talking about?”
Well, the Buttes test setup is small—just 48 panels—which collectively produce around 16,000 kilowatt-hours (kWh) of electricity per year. That’s enough to power four to six average households. It might sound modest, but here’s where it gets interesting.
Switzerland has a rail network stretching over 5,300 kilometers. Even after subtracting tunnels and shaded areas, there are thousands of kilometers of sunlight-drenched tracks just waiting to be tapped. If Sun-Ways could cover even half of that with solar panels, they estimate the country could generate 1 billion kWh of solar energy per year. That’s enough to supply power to about 300,000 homes, or roughly 2% of Switzerland’s entire electricity needs.
For a nation aiming to go net-zero and phase out fossil fuels, that 2% is nothing to scoff at. It’s clean, renewable, and doesn’t take up any new land.
A Bigger Goal: Powering the Country Sustainably by 2035
Like many other countries, Switzerland is facing a ticking clock. By 2035, the country hopes to significantly cut emissions and massively increase renewable energy use. But they’ve got a long way to go—experts say they’ll need to produce seven times more solar energy than they currently do.
So, where’s that going to come from? Rooftops, of course. But also: train stations, shelter canopies, depots, and now—possibly—train tracks. According to the Federal Office of Transport (FOT), if public transport companies start using their own buildings for solar power, they could generate 20–30% of their total energy needs internally. That’s a big deal, especially when you consider the energy demand of electric trains, trams, and rail networks.
But the FOT is proceeding with caution. Trains on the Buttes line move at a relatively slow pace—about 70 km/h—so it’s a safe place to test the technology. The Swiss government insisted that the pilot project run for three years, instead of the six months Sun-Ways originally proposed. They want to observe the system through all seasons, monitor wear and tear, and determine whether the system holds up under regular train operations.
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The Global Ripple Effect: Other Countries Are Paying Attention
Sun-Ways’ concept is already catching international attention. In fact, their removable solar panel system might soon be rolling out far beyond Swiss borders.
Here’s a quick world tour of who’s interested:
- South Korea: Tech companies and government agencies are preparing a pilot project to test the system on their own 6,600 km rail network. They’re especially intrigued by the ease of installation and electrical connection.
- Indonesia: A solar engineering firm wants to test the system in Bogor, then scale it across West Java.
- Japan: The Ministry of Infrastructure, Transport, and Tourism is keeping a close eye. Japan has ambitious carbon neutrality goals for 2050 and is actively exploring ways to generate more solar energy using existing infrastructure.
- Spain, Romania, and China: Early-stage conversations are underway with interested parties in these countries as well.
If all goes well, Sun-Ways could become a major player in the global clean energy transition—showing that sometimes, good ideas really do come out of thin air… or at least from staring at train tracks.
Experts Weigh In: Is This Really the Future of Solar?
Many researchers and clean energy advocates are cautiously optimistic.
Lubomila Jordanova, co-founder of Greentech Alliance, called Sun-Ways’ invention “efficient and environmentally friendly,” pointing out its potential for scaling worldwide.
Martin Heinrich from the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems—the largest solar research body in Europe—agrees that using built environments like railways is a smart move. He supports deploying solar tech in already-developed areas to avoid harming natural ecosystems. However, he also raised a valid concern: solar panels are generally built to last 20 to 30 years without being moved. The more you fiddle with them, the more likely they are to break or require costly repairs.
Still, the idea of tapping into this often-ignored piece of public infrastructure could be a huge win in a warming world.
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What’s Next for Sun-Ways?
Joseph Scuderi and his team now have three years to prove their system works—not just in theory, but in all kinds of weather, traffic patterns, and maintenance scenarios. If they succeed, this project could redefine how we think about both transportation and energy.
One thing’s for sure: it all started with a moment of curiosity. And that’s how revolutions often begin—with a simple question that no one else bothered to ask.
