A pilot project by Sun-Ways has shown that solar panels can be installed directly between railway tracks. The 100-meter installation in Buttes, Switzerland, opened on April 24, 2025, and its 48 panels have produced more than 19 MWh so far.

Over the first year of operation, more than 11,000 trains crossed the installation without accidents or interruptions to rail service. The panels are made with anti-reflection material to reduce glare for drivers and are designed to withstand micro-cracks, which helps lower fire risk.

Sun-Ways CEO Joseph Scuderi said the main obstacle is not the technology but the strict safety rules in the rail sector, which delayed approval for the test. To expand the system, the company built a rail-mounted machine that can install up to 300 panels per hour.

Sun-Ways estimates that Switzerland alone has a potential 1 TWh available in rail corridors, enough to cover about 30 percent of the country's public transport energy needs.