Across Switzerland, a new layer of the urban landscape is being activated. What was once overlooked — the narrow stretch of ground between tram and train rails — is now becoming a functional solar surface. This shift reflects a broader movement we champion at Soular Innovations: transforming the built environment into a living energy ecosystem, where every surface has purpose and every element contributes to a cleaner city.
Transforming Tracks into Energy Corridors
The pilot installation near Buttes, developed by the Swiss company Sun-Ways, reimagines railway corridors as dual-function infrastructure. Here, 48 photovoltaic modules have been installed flush between the rails, forming a 100-metre stretch of clean-energy generation integrated directly into daily transit.
This approach aligns with the core principles we advocate for solar cities:
- Zero additional land use
- Seamless urban integration
- Enhanced value from existing infrastructure
The pilot alone produces around 16,000 kWh annually — but the long-term vision is far more ambitious. With over 5,000 km of Swiss rail lines, the potential for scaling is extraordinary. Cities often struggle to find space for renewable energy: this project demonstrates that the space already exists — it simply needs to be activated.
Engineering Designed for Life in Motion
Integrating solar systems into high-traffic mobility zones requires more than efficiency — it demands durability, intelligence, and adaptability. The rail-embedded modules were engineered with these needs in mind:
- Vibration-absorbing mounting systems safeguard the solar cells beneath passing trams and trains.
- Anti-slip, anti-glare glass ensures safety for maintenance crews and the surrounding environment.
- Automated cleaning via the motion of trains helps maintain performance with minimal intervention.
- Real-time grid integration allows the energy harvested to be fed directly into local systems.
- Fully removable panels align with the operational realities of rail maintenance — a crucial factor in long-term feasibility.
A notable innovation is the deployment train, designed with Scheuchzer SA, capable of rolling out or retracting long stretches of modules within hours. It’s a powerful example of how solar technologies can become service-based, modular, and responsive to urban life rather than disruptive to it.
A Glimpse Into Tomorrow’s Solar Cityscape
This Swiss initiative represents more than a technical achievement — it signals a mindset shift that resonates deeply with Soular Innovations’ mission. Solar power is no longer an “add-on” to cities; it is becoming embedded within their DNA. Rails, roads, façades, and mobility corridors can function as active contributors to a city’s energy performance.
The interest from international partners — from Europe to Asia — reflects a shared ambition: to build cities where energy is generated in the same places people move, gather, and live. It’s a vision of clean power that is integrated, efficient, and beautifully unintrusive.
Projects like this remind us that the clean-energy future is not waiting for large empty fields or new layers of construction. It is already hidden within the textures of our cities — ready to be uncovered, activated, and connected.
