Switzerland’s first solar rail power plant goes live in Neuchâtel
Cleantech
5 May 2025
Installed mechanically on a 100-meter section of active railway, the panels represent a breakthrough in combining solar production with existing infrastructure. | © Sun-Ways
Sun-Ways has inaugurated Switzerland’s first removable solar power plant installed between railway tracks open to active train traffic. Located in the village of Buttes in the canton of Neuchâtel, the pilot project marks a significant milestone in the development of innovative solar infrastructure integrated directly into the rail network.
Developed by Sun-Ways, the system aims to utilize the space between the rails to generate renewable solar electricity without interfering with rail operations. This project follows the approval granted in 2024 by the Swiss Federal Office of Transport (FOT), which authorized Sun-Ways to begin testing after a ten-month technical review. The Buttes installation is the first implementation of this technology under real traffic conditions.
The initial deployment covers approximately 100 meters of railway track on a transN-operated line in Val-de-Travers and includes 48 solar panels. These panels are mounted using a specially developed machine from partner company Scheuchzer, which enables rapid and efficient installation, up to 1,000 m² of solar panels in just a few hours. The system is designed to be both removable and easy to maintain, allowing for fast access to the tracks when needed.
Electrical connections are secured within the panels, and cleaning is managed through cylindrical brushes attached to the back of trains. The energy produced is 100% renewable, and the long-term objective is to reinject the electricity directly into the traction current used by the trains, maximizing self-consumption during daylight hours when rail traffic is most active.
A strategic testbed for large-scale deployment
The three-year pilot phase will allow Sun-Ways and its partners to collect crucial performance and safety data, particularly concerning stability under train loads, glare avoidance for conductors, and maintenance compatibility. If successful, the system could be expanded across the 5,000-kilometer Swiss railway network.
This new milestone adds to Western Switzerland’s growing cleantech sector, reinforcing its position as a testbed for sustainable energy solutions at the intersection of infrastructure and innovation.
