The power generated by the panels will be used to power conventional and high-speed trains running on the line, said the company.

Enfinity is working with Infrabel, the Belgian railway infrastructure manager, to install the 16,000 panels on a two-mile stretch of tunnel running alongside Belgium's E19 road.

The project, due for completion this December, will provide 3.5Mw/hours of energy each year, and will cost $20.1m.

The solar installation will also power parts of Antwerp Station, in addition to the Antwerp north-south junction, Enfinity said.

However, despite the attraction of installing large numbers of panels in a location close to where the resulting energy will be used there are technical challenges involved in installing panels on a railway tunnel. Fast trains rushing through the tunnel could create vibrational problems, for example.

Enfinity is addressing this issue by using a ballast tile that avoids the need to put perforations directly in the roof, insulating the solar panels from the strong kinetic force created by the trains.

Enfinity, a Belgian company, recently acquired ClearPeak, a solar energy developer, taking on board its portfolio of US-based renewable projects.

If the railway tunnel project succeeds, it could be a useful flagship contract for the company as it expands into the North American market. The US is mulling several high-speed rail projects, both at a state level, and with interest from a federal government keen to create jobs and fuel green industries.

(BusinessGreen)

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