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“Rolling carpet” solar railway tracks get green light in Switzerland
Solar panels are set to be rolled out “like carpet” on railway tracks in Switzerland in a world-first. Swiss start-up Sun-Ways has been given the green light for a three-year pilot project in the western canton of Neuchâtel, with work to begin in spring 2025.
Sun-Ways is the first to patent a removable system, with the help of EPFL, the Swiss federal technology institute in Lausanne.
Sun-Ways CEO Joseph Scuderi said: “This will be the first time that solar panels will be installed on a railway track with trains that pass over them. The removable innovation is a crucial one since railway tracks need to be cleared from time to time for essential maintenance work.”
The Swiss company will use a mechanical system to install its removable solar panels. A train developed by Swiss track maintenance company Scheuchzer will travel along the rails, laying photovoltaic panels as it goes.
It’s just “like an unrolling carpet", says Sun-Ways. The specially designed train uses a piston mechanism to unfurl the one-metre-wide panels, pre-assembled at a Swiss factory. It claims to be able to install up to 1,000 m2 of solar panels per day.
After ten months of building and testing prototypes, Sun-Ways has secured a permit to begin applying the technology to an open line in Neuchâtel and begin a three-year test phase.
During this time, 48 panels will be added to a 100-metre section of track operated by transN, the canton’s public transport company, at a cost of roughly CHF585,000 (€623,000). Electricity produced by the PV system will be fed into the power grid and used to power homes as feeding it into railway operations would be a more complicated process.
Logistics UK’s Senior Policy Advisor, Ellis Shelton, said: “The rail industry plays a crucial role in logistics worldwide and it is encouraging/exciting to see Sun-Ways’ ‘Rolling carpet’ rail track project get underway in Switzerland.
“Innovation is key to the sector achieving its net zero goals, and it is vital that the UK logistics sector works together to promote rail freight adoption among new businesses, invest in modern facilities and leverage data technology, demonstrate a forward-thinking approach.
"It is also essential that the government supports a sustainable and efficient future for freight by investing in rail infrastructure. Innovations like Sun-Ways’ unrolling carpet technology show….?? ”
In theory, Sun-Ways’ panels could be rolled out across the entirety of Switzerland’s 5,317 kilometre-long railway network. The photovoltaic cells would cover an area around the size of 760 football pitches.
Sun-Ways estimates the national rail network could produce one Terawatt-hour (TWh) of solar energy per year, equivalent to around two per cent of Switzerland’s total energy consumption.
Beyond Switzerland, the company is involved in similar projects being planned in Spain, Romania and South Korea.
There are over a million kilometres of railway lines in the world and Sun-Ways believe that 50 per cent of the world's railways could be equipped with their system.
The company still has a lot to prove with its pilot project, however. The International Union of Railways previously expressed concern that the panels could suffer micro-cracks, lead to a higher risk of fires in green areas and even distract train drivers with reflections.
Sun-Ways said its panels are more resistant than conventional ones and could have an anti-reflection filter to keep out of train drivers’ eyes.
Built-in sensors also ensure they work properly while brushes attached to the end of trains could remove dirt from the surface of the panels.
Published On: 28/10/2024 12:00:00
