Swiss Startup Sun-Ways says it has activated what the world’s first removable Sun Factory calls on active railway tracks, with passenger trains that run over the installation of 18 kW from 28 April.
Swiss Startup Sun-Ways is called in to a removable tanning factory that is installed on a functioning railway line in West-Switzerland.
The array, invoiced as the world’s first course mounted solar factory open for railway traffic, is located in the Neuchâtel-Bergen and comprises 48 solar panels with a rated at 385 W each. The installation has a total output of 18 kW and is expected to generate 16 MWh per year, food power at 500 meters from the site in the public schedule.
Passenger trains are planned to walk on the installation on 28 April.
The Federal Office of Transport of Switzerland approved the removable PV factory in October 2024. Since then it has undergone tests and analyzes that have been asked by the agency. It has protected all necessary permits.
Zon roads said it will perform tests on panel coating, pollution and the impact of the system on the rail infrastructure in the coming three years. The data will help determine whether railway operations can be safely carried out with a removable solar panel between the tracks.
Delegations from Belgium, France, Indonesia, Israel and South Korea attended the inauguration to assess the possible deployment in their home country, the company said.
An international team has recently carried out a technical and economic analysis to determine whether the implementation of PV systems between or near railway jobs is viable for rural applications. The researchers discovered that this often citalized project type is not only technically feasible, but also commercially attractive.
Critics have focused on two important concerns that can limit the performance of solar panels: heavy pollution and strong mechanical stress of trains that pass over. Both factors can considerably shorten the life of a system and reduce the energy output.
The researchers recognized these risks and noticed that in Bangladesh, for example, train tracks are usually built on soft alluvial soils, which are generally caused by passing trains.
The researchers presented their findings in the study ‘Techno-economic study of a photovoltaic power plant next to the railway path for rural use in Bangladesh“ Published in E-Prime preliminary output in electrical engineering, electronics and energy.
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