Swiss startup Sun-Ways is testing removable solar panels installed on an operational railway line through a pilot project with French railway operator SNCF in Switzerland.
Image: Sun-Ways
From pv magazine France
Sun-Ways, a Swiss startup developing PV systems for railway tracks, has signed a collaboration agreement with SNCF, making the French rail operator a partner in a pilot project in Buttes, in the canton of Neuchâtel.
The company describes the installation as the first removable solar power system deployed on an active railway line. The project has been operational since April 24, 2025.
Image: Sun-Ways
The pilot is installed along a 100-meter section of Line 221, operated by regional rail company TransN. It consists of 48 solar modules rated at 380 W each, for a total installed capacity of 18 kW and an estimated annual electricity output of 16,000 kWh, according to Sun-Ways.
Under the partnership, SNCF receives access to production data, operational feedback, and technical performance information from the system.
During the operational phase, Sun-Ways is conducting tests covering panel installation and removal, glare analysis, track inspections, compatibility with railway equipment, impacts on maintenance operations, and energy performance, including soiling effects.
The pilot project is scheduled to run through April 2028. The collaboration is intended to allow SNCF to assess whether removable solar installations could be deployed across parts of the French rail network.
SNCF’s innovation department, working with infrastructure manager SNCF Réseau, is monitoring the system’s impact on maintenance operations and infrastructure availability.
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More articles from Gwénaëlle Deboutte
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