GoKawiilEurope’s infrastructure is embracing the renewables boom, with one company determined to transform the continent’s railway lines into mini solar farms.
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Last year, Swiss start-up Sun-Ways unveiled the world’s first-ever solar railway after rolling out 100 metres of photovoltaic (PV) panels in between active tracks in Buttes, a village in the Val-de-Travers district.
Originally planned as just a three-year trial, the railway was fitted with 48 specially-designed solar panels with a combined power of 18 kWp.
However, the positive results yielded just one year into the trial mean the installation of a permanent system along the railroad track is now likely, Euronews Earth has been told.
Are solar railways efficient?
Solar panels are often installed at a specific angle to ensure they absorb the maximum amount of sunlight throughout the year.
In Spain, for example, the optimal angle for efficiency is between 30° and 35°. According to a 2022 study published in Science Direct, a 34° tilt on solar panels in the Iberian Peninsula resulted in annual production losses lower than one per cent.
It’s why sloped rooftops are naturally convenient locations to install panels – while garden fences, balconies and flat roofs will generate less energy in comparison.
Sun-Ways estimates that the loss of production due to the lack of inclination of the railway panels is only around 10 per cent. Still, in one year, the project has produced around 16,000 kWh.
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