Swiss Experiment Will Place Solar Panels Between Train Tracks
Swiss Experiment Will Place Solar Panels Between Train Tracks
Solar panels between the rails of train tracks is a new idea being tested in Switzerland by start-up Sun-Ways.
there's literally open land on either side of the field in the photo, why not just put them there?
This is just bait for grant and investment cash. Sounds genius to venture capitalists divorced from reality.
sounds very silly, like the solar roadways
I dunno, to me it sounded like an interesting experiment. Experiments sometimes go well, sometimes they fail.
Not so sure why you compare it to the solar roads tho, it's not that the solar panels have to sustain the weight of the train, since they are going to be between the rails. Of course there are a tone of things that can go wrong. One thing for example that made me wonder - and it is not addressed in this article - is in relation to the vibrations of the rails. Solar panels don't respond well to vibrations, at all. But, they also mention that the initial test went well and they got the permits to test them for spring of 2025. Let's see?
Were they like "where is one of the most problematic places that we can put some solar panels?"
A very neat idea, quite innovative! My initial reaction would be that this would be a great way to recycle panels from larger, traditional projects that are getting upgraded anyway. My concern with new panels is that with moving trains above them, there's a strong chance for breaks in the glass depending on what's being transported, and a huge amount of loss due to dirt accumulating. Those conditions may result in harsh losses for new panels, which may be more beneficial in production elsewhere! Mid- to end-of-life panels might not be producing as much power anyway, so getting a second life in a situation like this one might squeeze a little more power out of them that you wouldn't get otherwise.
Of course, solar panels are very inexpensive nowadays, so financially it might not make that big a difference, but I think it's good to think about best use of the resources we have regardless!
This is a great idea!
To get grant money.
Otherwise it's even more stupid than solar roadways.
I mean except if you live on a planet where 99% of land is rails.
Have no one considered that these would be lifted and shifted by the next weekend when they are installed? Like only reason that solar panels don't get nicked from people's houses is that in most cases you need scaffolding to gain access and someone might notice...
Why lol. Tiny power output and difficult to maintain.
Expected yield for the Swiss is apparently 2% of the total consumption just with their tracks alone.
2% of an entire nations consumption is still a fuck ton of power. Start adding other "2%" projects together and you'll hit 100% before you know it.
I didn't realize the swiss had people this dumb too
Put it next to the tracks and you don't have to stop using the tracks during the inevitable daily maintenance from being damaged by the trains in various ways, and it will still be in the middle of nowhere where nobody will ever see it. Plus wiring will be much less of a shitshow and less susceptible to damage.
You really think your hot take is that valuable? I wish i had that confidence.
there's nothing hot about it. Its simply the tried and tested method of mount the panels in a stand don't put anything on top to block the light. some silly dude already tried floor solar panels and they lost too much performance to the protective layers alone. this looks like plain unarmoured panels directly in a high vibration location, flat against the ground where the heat off the back won't escape and dirt and snow will build up with nowhere to go because of the rails