Switzerland has turned its train tracks into solar power plants

A Swiss startup installed 48 solar panels on a 330-foot stretch of active railway in April 2025, and over one year the installation has withstood more than 11,000 trains traveling at speeds up to 55 mph while generating 16,000+ kilowatt-hours of electricity—enough for 3-4 households annually. Switzerland's 3,300-mile rail network could generate up to 2% of the country's electricity, powering some 300,000 households, with interest already from France, Japan, South Korea, and Indonesia.