Swiss startup Sun-Ways is testing removable solar panels installed on an operational railway line through a pilot project with French railway company SNCF in Switzerland.
Sun-Ways, a Swiss startup developing PV systems for railways, has signed a cooperation agreement with SNCF, making the French railway company a partner in a pilot project in Buttes, in the canton of Neuchâtel.
The company describes the installation as the first removable solar energy system to be deployed on an active railway line. The project has been operational since April 24, 2025.
Image: Sun Ways
The pilot will be installed along a 100-meter stretch of Line 221, operated by regional railway company TransN. It consists of 48 solar panels with a power of 380 W each, for a total installed power of 18 kW and an estimated annual electricity production of 16,000 kWh, according to Sun-Ways.
The partnership will provide SNCF with access to production data, operational feedback and technical performance information from the system.
During the operational phase, Sun-Ways conducts tests related to panel installation and removal, glare analysis, track inspections, compatibility with railway equipment, impact on maintenance operations and energy performance, including pollution effects.
The pilot project is expected to run until April 2028. The collaboration is intended to allow SNCF to assess whether removable solar installations can be deployed on parts of the French rail network.
SNCF’s innovation department, in collaboration with infrastructure manager SNCF Réseau, monitors the impact of the system on maintenance activities and infrastructure availability.
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