A French railway company has started testing a unique prototype solar setup installed on unused tracks. If successful, the venture could open up more than 281,000 acres of ground suitable for sun-catching panel installations, according to PV Magazine.

It could also be a proving ground for an innovation that transforms idle tracks worldwide into ray-absorbing powerhouses.

SNCF subsidiary AREP is conducting the six-month test on inoperable tracks. The setups are delivered in standard shipping containers, while the panels look fairly typical and appear to fill the full portion of unused track. Inverters and storage batteries to hold the sun-based power are included, per PV.

"We have developed a system for delivering PV panels … and also a logistics method for installing them on railway tracks that facilitates the deployment of the panels as well as the reversibility of the installation," AREP Director of Innovation Alistair Lenczner told PV, which noted that the panels can be relocated easily.

Swiss-based Sun-Ways is also installing solar panels on the inside of railroad tracks. In Turkey, sturdy panels are being incorporated into pathways, providing a place to promenade, as well as cleaner power.

The French project doesn't require construction or foundations for installation; the panels are fixed to the rails for stabilization. The arrays should be enough to power local maintenance projects with renewable energy, Interesting Engineering reported.

The unique installations are important advancements as our energy system transitions to cleaner sources. Data collector Statista's chart showing worldwide solar growth is impressive, starting at just over 21 terawatt hours in 2009 to greater than 1,294 in 2022.

Among the key benefits of cleaner power is limiting heat-trapping air pollution generated from burning fossil fuels. Reducing those planet-warming gases is crucial to prevent worst-case weather and public health crises resulting from rising mercury on Earth, according to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and NASA.

Solar energy is also a great option for homeowners. A U.S. government study recently found that households save nearly $700 a year on average after installing a system. That's even after accounting for the costs. What's more, tax breaks remain available to help cover the expenses, though the incentives could be cut due to policy changes under President Donald Trump, NPR reported.

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When packaged with home-based battery storage, homeowners can save solar energy for later use, serving as blackout protection. Savvy panel/battery users can even sell extra electricity to the grid for some extra cash as part of a virtual power plant.

In France, PV reported that there's no timeline for the track project to be "industrialized," as experts are working to make the system more efficient and cost-effective, per the report.

Lenczner told the magazine that the technology could be sent to locations around the world since it's delivered in standard-size shipping containers.

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