Solar panels will be rolled onto Swiss railway tracks ‘like a carpet’

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🗞️ Driving the news: Swiss startup Sun-Ways has received approval to pilot its innovative solar panel system that rolls out “like carpet” onto railway tracks
• The three-year pilot project will launch in Neuchâtel in spring 2025, marking the first time removable solar panels are installed on active railways

🔭 The context: The solar panel system, developed with EPFL’s support, is designed to be easily removable for track maintenance
• Sun-Ways estimates that solar panels could be rolled out across Switzerland’s 5,317 km railway network, potentially generating 1 Terawatt-hour of solar energy annually, equivalent to 2% of the nation’s energy consumption

🌍 Why it matters for the planet: With global pressure to transition to renewable energy, innovative projects like solar railways offer a way to utilize underused surfaces, helping reduce emissions and supporting the energy transition

⏭️ What's next: Sun-Ways’ removable solar panels will be tested over 100 meters of track during the pilot phase, with future expansion planned in countries like Spain, Romania, and South Korea

💬 One quote: “This will be the first time that solar panels will be installed on a railway track with trains that pass over them,” said Sun-Ways CEO Joseph Scuderi

📈 One stat: The project’s potential could cover 760 football fields worth of solar panels across Switzerland’s railway network

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