A Swiss startup named Sun-Ways has developed a cutting-edge technology that utilizes railway tracks to produce clean and renewable energy.
By installing photovoltaic (PV) solar panels between the tracks, the company aims to generate massive amounts of energy, with the potential to bring the cost of electricity down to $0.10 per KWh.
In the initial rollout, a part of a track owned by Swiss rail operator Transports Publics Neuchâtelois SA will be equipped with the panels, and the company plans to bring the first solar railway online in May.
Sun-Ways claims that 10 kilometers of railway tracks can house 5,000 of its solar modules, producing 2 GWh of solar energy every year - enough to power 20 million light bulbs.
The technology has the potential to generate renewable energy and reduce pressure on the grid while eliminating the need for dirty energy sources.
The solar panels feed into the grid, and there are ongoing engineering development projects to make it possible to power the trains with the electricity produced by the panels.