Solution Deep-Dive: Sun-Ways

Solution Deep-Dive: the concept

To offer our readers an immersive look into labeled solutions and their real-world applications, we’ve launched the “Solution Deep-Dive” series. Over the coming months, we’ll spotlight various Swiss-based companies through short YouTube videos and articles – bringing you closer to the innovations driving sustainable change.

Interview with Joseph Scuderi, Founder of Sun-Ways

On a lovely summer morning, members of the Solar Impulse Foundation were granted a visit to the pilot project of Sun-Ways in Buttes, Neuchatel. This first-of-its-kind operation, launched in April 2025, has incorporated 48 solar panels to a railway track and aims to produce 16,000 kWh of electricity per year for local applications. 

We were able to discuss with Joseph Scuderi, founder of Sun-Ways, about this innovative solution. He talked us through the origin of this idea, the challenges faced by Sun-Ways, his collaboration with the Solar Impulse Foundation and his vision for the future of this technology.

The Sun-Ways Solution debunked

Sun-Way’s technology enables the installation of solar panels between the rails of a railway's track. As J. Scuderi puts it:

 The challenge consists not in producing energy from photovoltaic solar panels, but in producing this energy between the rails of a railway's track. This solution is innovative because trains will be able to pass over them without problems or safety hazard.

These panels can also be removed easily if maintenance works were necessary and can produce energy on the same spot it will be used. In the near future, the goal is to reinject this power in the traction current for the needs of railway transport and for those of industries or the public grid.

Developing Sun-Ways on a large scale

Sun-Way’s system has been implemented in the form of a pilot project over 100m of a Swiss railway that strives to prove the potential of the technology. J. Scuderi believes that Sun-Ways could have an important impact on a much larger scale: 

There are 5000 km of railways in Switzerland, which equals to a 5 million km² exploitable surface. This is enough to install 2.5 million solar panels and produce roughly 1 TWh of electricity per year – equivalent to 20% of all the photovoltaic energy produced nowadays in Switzerland.

The Obstacles faced by Sun-Ways

J. Scuderi explains that he doesn’t come from the railway or solar energy industry. However, he had worked multiple years in the energy sector.  The idea came to him as he was waiting for his train at a station. He started thinking about the enormous unused surface railways represented, and how they could seriously boost the development of large-scale solar plants. 

When he started working on his concept, the challenge was to find ways to combine two worlds that are used to working separately, without any existing proof of his idea’s feasibility. Most importantly, there were no existing regulations concerning railway photovoltaics: 

When we started asking for authorisations, there was a lot of surprise and incomprehension from the authorities. We had to do a lot of communication and mediation to gather all these people around the same table and discuss the functioning of our technology.

The pilot project has developed the credibility of the solution, which is raising awareness and interest on a national and international level.

The Collaboration with the Solar Impulse Foundation

Sun-Ways’s innovation first received the Solar Impulse Efficient Solution Label in 2023. J. Scuderi mentions that :

For people in the world of innovation and invention, Bertrand Piccard is inspiring to follow as he carries innovative projects. 

He then explained that the collaboration with the Solar Impulse Foundation is a way to gain credibility among authorities and potential investors. Sun-Ways proudly displays the label’s logo to gain visibility and increase the value of their message, especially during events organised by the foundation, where it has helped Sun-Ways meet potential partners or other start-ups.

A glimpse into the future

In the next five years J.Scuderi hopes to develop the first solar plants powered exclusively from railway photovoltaic panels, on 10-100km of Swiss railways. He believes that it might expand quicker through partnerships with other countries where regulations make the application of the technology more efficient.  In Switzerland, he will have to wait for 3 more years before receiving the final validation. 

He believes that so-called “sandboxes” - where start-ups would launch pilot projects with adjustable rules, without the need to comply with overly demanding regulations before inaugurating their program – could be the key to faster development cycles. 

Additionally, Swiss railways are all public property. In other countries, some railways are owned by private companies that are interested in progressing quickly, and make development easier. 

Sun-Ways is already in talks to create projects in France, Indonesia, South Korea, Canada, Mexico and India. J. Scuderi hopes to cover 5000 km of international railways in the next 5 years, and in 15 years:

Why not 100,000km ?