Six surprising places solar power is taking off

Deutsche Welle (DW)CenterEN 4 min read 100% complete by Gero RueterOctober 25, 2025 at 04:26 PM

AI Summary

long article 4 min

Solar power is expanding into unconventional areas such as above highways and parking lots, on noise barriers, and even integrated into vehicle bodies. In southern Europe, supermarkets are covering their parking spaces with solar panels to provide shade and charging stations for electric vehicles while powering the stores' operations. Germany and China have installed solar roofs over roads that also reduce traffic noise. Switzerland is testing solar power systems on railway tracks, which could potentially generate 1 terawatt hour of electricity per year if all 5,000 kilometers are covered, meeting about 44% of Swiss railways' energy needs. Solar cells are also being integrated into building facades and walls for aesthetic and functional benefits.

Key Topics & Entities

Sono Motors GmbH 50% Switzerland ×260% Germany 70% China ×280%

Keywords

solar power 100% railway tracks 80% energy generation 80% electric cars 70% solar roofs 70% bus and trucks 60% supermarkets 60% noise barriers 50% charging stations 50% facade integration 50%

Sentiment Analysis

Very Positive

Score: 0.70

Source Transparency

Source

Deutsche Welle (DW)

Political Lean

Center (-0.10)

Far LeftCenterFar Right

Classification Confidence

90%

Geographic Perspective

China

This article was automatically classified using rule-based analysis. The political bias score ranges from -1 (far left) to +1 (far right).

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solar power railway tracks energy generation electric cars solar roofs bus and trucks supermarkets noise barriers charging stations facade integration

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