Switzerland to install solar panels on train tracks, safety concerns remain

[Jack Aylmer]

FROM TRASH CANS AND DAIRY FARMS TO TREES AND LAKES-

RENEWABLE ENERGY ADVOCATES HAVE BEEN FINDING SOME UNCONVENTIONAL PLACES TO INSTALL SOLAR PANELS.

NOW ONE OF THE LEADING NATIONS IN THIS TYPE OF POWER HAS FOUND ANOTHER CREATIVE SPOT FOR THEM:

TRAIN TRACKS.

BUT THE PLAN HAS SOME RAISING QUESTIONS ABOUT SAFETY.

SUN-WAYS –  A SOLAR ENERGY STARTUP IN SWITZERLAND IS BEHIND THE IDEA.

THE COMPANY SAYS THAT BY TAPPING INTO THE COUNTRY’S ROUGHLY THIRTY THREE HUNDRED MILES OF RAILROAD TRACKS-

THEY COULD POWER NEARLY A THIRD OF THE SWISS TRANSPORTATION SECTOR.

SUN WAYS BELIEVES THIS WOULD HELP OFFSET ABOUT TWO HUNDRED THOUSAND TONS OF CARBON EMISSIONS ANNUALLY-

EQUIVALENT TO TAKING ABOUT 50,000 GASOLINE POWERED VEHICLES OFF THE ROAD EVERY YEAR.

ALTHOUGH, PUTTING SOLAR PANELS ON TRAIN TRACKS COULD BE HAZARDOUS FOR THE RAIL INDUSTRY.

THE INTERNATIONAL UNION OF RAILWAYS HAS HIGHLIGHTED SEVERAL CONCERNS.

THEY’RE WORRIED ABOUT LIGHT REFLECTING FROM THE PANELS BECOMING A SERIOUS PROBLEM FOR TRAIN OPERATORS-

AND THE PRESENCE OF THIS SOLAR INFRASTRUCTURE MAY POSE A HEIGHTENED FIRE RISK ON THE TRACKS.

CRITICS ALSO ARGUE THAT SOLAR PANELS CAN HINDER TRACK MAINTENANCE-

MAY BE DAMAGED AND BECOME INEFFICIENT IN THESE LOCATIONS-

AND THEIR HARD SURFACES CAN MAKE IT LOUDER WHEN TRAINS PASS OVER THEM, INCREASING NOISE POLLUTION.

BACK IN 2023, THESE FEARS CONTRIBUTED TO SWITZERLAND’S FEDERAL OFFICE OF TRANSPORT INITIALLY REJECTING SUN WAYS REQUEST TO PUT SOLAR PANELS ON THE TRACKS.

AFTER ADDITIONAL SAFETY DOCUMENTATION WAS ADDED, THE PLAN WAS RE-SUBMITTED FOR APPROVAL-

AND FOLLOWING 10 MONTHS OF DELIBERATION FINALLY GOT THE GO AHEAD TO MOVE FORWARD.

BEGINNING WITH A PILOT PROJECT SET TO DEBUT IN 20-25.

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