Diesel-Killing Locomotive Of The Future Runs On Solar Power
The creators of the solar-powered locomotive of the future were aiming to set a Guinness record for speed last weekend, and that is more than just your ordinary attention-getting stunt. Demonstrating the functionality of PV panels on rail cars could help set the stage for solar power to knock diesel fuel out of the railroad business. No word yet on the official results, but solar is beginning to wiggle its way into a field dominated by fossil fuel.
The Solar Train Of The Future Hits The Tracks, With Only Solar Power
When people say “solar train,” they usually mean a battery-powered train charged by solar panels parked in a solar farm, such as the UK’s Riding Sunbeams project. In other words, the solar power is there, but it is not actually along for the ride.
Placing solar panels on the roof of the train itself is a whole ‘nother kettle of fish. A cute retro solar train began ferrying passengers on a six-kilometer round trip route in Byron, Australia back in 2017, but that’s the main extent of the activity so far, at least in terms of powering entire trains with sunlight.
It’s possible that the Byron train could go faster and farther with more solar panels, but integrating rooftop panels into the train’s 1940s-era styling was a key consideration that limits its ability to soak up energy from the sun.
The team behind the record-aspiring Solar Train are under no such constraints. Aesthetics have been tossed aside in favor of function, and solar panels are just about all there is to the Solar Train in its current 42-foot long iteration. Aside from a small space for the driver and a couple of passengers, all of the rail car’s flat surface is taken up by solar panels.
The goal for 2022 is to engineer an 80-foot version that can reach a top speed of 65 miles per hour on raw solar power alone.
As for that whether or not the Solar Train made the record books last weekend, check back with the The Press-Democrat of Sonoma County, California. They covered a test run of the Solar Train last Friday and their story is loaded with interesting details about the self-funded labor-of-love project, so maybe they’ll do a followup after the official results roll in.
Who Hearts Solar Power For The Locomotive Of The Future?
The Solar Train began as a DIY project in 2016, and now some heavy hitters in the US railway business are eyeballing the action.
Solar Train’s website lists Northwestern Pacific and Sierra Railroad as supporters, along with American Systems Controls & Integration, Inc., Cal Poly, and something called robotcity.io.
Northwestern Pacific has undergone something of a transformation from its roots in the great age of the steam locomotion, back in 1869. The whole industry shifted into diesel by the 1930s, and in 2006 NWP embarked on a major renovation and expansion project in its California territory. The company began its modern era of service in 2011, right about the time when President Obama’s plans for climate action began to kick into gear.
The Obama Clean Power Plan got hung up in court, but meanwhile NWP kept expanding its network into Marin and Sonoma counties. While still relying on diesel, NWP touts the advantages of railways for freight transportation over diesel trucks.
“Railroads are a very efficient mode of transportation; steel wheels on steel rail give very little rolling resistance, therefor reducing overall fuel consumption, pollution, and greenhouse gasses. NWP takes this one step further by using low emission Tier 3 locomotives for goods movements along the hwy 101 corridor. Each railcar that NWP hauls can handle up to 220,000 pounds of payload, that’s more than 8 trucks off the busy highways and roads per railcar for each round trip!” NWP enthuses.
Interesting! They left out that bit about the labor advantage of railways over trucks. If and when the trucking industry shifts into battery electric and fuel cell technology, each truck is still going to need at least one driver, and the the truck driver shortage shows little sign of easing. Meanwhile, it’s a piece of cake for one engineer to manage a 100-car freight train, though rail safety regulators may have something to say about that.
Sierra Railroad & The Electric Train Of The Future
As of this writing NWP has not built much of a public profile in the clean power area, though positive press related to the Solar Train could convince the company to throw some clams into the innovation pot. NWP’s Sonoma County rail network has been hosting the train’s trial runs, and the activity will continue at least into 2022, when the Solar Train team will try for the 65 mph goal.
Sierra Railroad has staked out a somewhat more ambitious position. Last year the company nailed down a $4 million grant to build a “green” switcher locomotive powered by zero emission hydrogen fuel cells. That’s actually not very green at all, considering that the primary source of the global hydrogen supply is natural gas. This year, the California utility SoCalGas also hopped on board the project, which doesn’t exactly inspire confidence in a green makeover.
On the bright side, interest in the green hydrogen field is blowing up like a rocket to Mars. SoCalGas is among those dipping a toe in the power-to-gas field, which refers to systems that apply clean kilowatts from solar power, wind power, and other renewables to water, in order to release renewable hydrogen gas.
Here in the US, signs of a green makeover for the hydrogen economy are already brewing, and the activity is especially strong in sunny California and the sunny southwest, which could mean good things for solar developers.
In a couple of especially interesting developments in the western US, Texas is eyeballing a green hydrogen hub that leverages its considerable solar and wind assets, and Utah is helping to propel the natural gas-to-green-hydrogen turbine trend along with the hydrogen-as-storage model.
Onward & Upward For The Solar Powered Railway Of The Future
Meanwhile, solar power is already beginning to establish workhorse status in the railroad industry. One interesting example comes from the firm Herzog, which is pitching a solar-powered system for remotely unloading ballast cars, which are freight cars that can be unloaded by opening a vent at the bottom.
“During ballast distribution, our remotely operated hydraulically-powered doors provide easy opening and closing. The doors eliminate the need for manual manipulation/operation, and only a single operator is required for ballast distribution, increasing efficiency and safety for your employees,” Herzog explains.
The company Trina Solar also takes note that India has been deploying solar panels on trains to power fans and other equipment. While not replacing diesel entirely, the addition of solar power can make a significant difference.
“In India, the addition of solar PV panels to just one train is estimated to save 5,547 gallons of diesel every year, a savings equivalent to nearly $20,000. These panels do not yet propel the locomotive but merely power its fans, lights and comfort systems, underscoring the enormous opportunity to further curb operating expenses by switching to renewables,” says Trina.
Electrified railways have already made diesel fuel obsolete for many commuter lines, but there are still plenty of other opportunities for solar power to wiggle its way into the railways of the world.
Follow me on Twitter: @TinaMCasey.
Photo (screenshot): Solar power for a self-propelled rail car, courtesy of Solar Train.
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Are you wondering what kind of results you’d get if you added a home solar system to your roof? Homeowners are sharing their results online — and the real-world data might surprise you!
In a recent post to r/Solar, a Reddit user going by DontBuyBitcoin shared a screenshot indicating that their newly-installed ~11.5 kW system produced over 1,700 kWh of electricity in October. “Pretty surprised by the production of the system I got,” writes DontBuyBitcoin. “11.48KW. I cant wait to see what JUNE-AUGUST [2026] going to look like 😍 I wish SolarEdge will make their app better looking with more functionality”
Home solar energy chart
Other Redditors were quick to share in the enthusiasm. “Congratulations!!! Great numbers,” wrote LegalNet4337. “We got 1.6 MWh with a 14.45 kW system. East and West facing panels in SoCal.”
That 1,700 kWh is nothing to sneeze at. Based on the current national average electricity price of about $0.17/kWh (in AUG2025), DontBuyBitcoin’s admittedly large-ish system translates to ~$290 of potential savings. In a higher rate state like Illinois, with a projected 2026 kWh rate that’s closer to $0.18/kWh, that’s ~$306/mo.
We expect retail electricity prices to residential customers will average 17 cents per kilowatthour (kWh) nationwide in 2025, a 4% increase over 2024, and then rise to approximately 18 cents/kWh in 2026. This rise continues a trend in which residential electricity prices have increased at an average annual rate of 5% each year since the COVID-19 pandemic. The increase in retail electricity prices this year comes as the cost of natural gas to the electric power sector was up more than 40% in 1H25 compared with a year earlier, with similar year-over-year increases forecast for the remainder of 2025. The average cost of natural gas for power generation in our forecast increases another 17% in 2026.
Those are big numbers, but 11-15 kW rooftop solar systems are big. Significantly bigger, in fact, than the US average, ~6.6 kW in 2024 – but you don’t have to have a big system in order to post big numbers. Superior weather conditions and perfect PV panel placement can also get the job done, as another Redditor found.
“The last 2 days we have had perfect weather here in South Florida and I have been able to get over 30 kWh from a 5 kW system with a 3.8 kW inverter. This is the highest I have seen since getting PTO in September,” wrote Redditor dlewis23, who shared another SolarEdge graph. “I am super happy with seeing over 30 kWh in a single day.”
30 kW/day from home solar
Taken altogether, these real-world snapshots prove that whether it’s a modest 5 kW array or a beefy 10+ kW setup, homeowners out in the real world are seeing meaningful, measurable differences from their home solar installations. And, with retail electricity prices projected to keep on rising through the decade, every kilowatt counts.
Electrek’s Take
When we ran our “Why did you choose to go solar?” survey back in September, only 32.6% of respondents chose, “Lowering my monthly utility bills” as their primary motivation to go solar. That result proved, in my mind, that Electrek readers are just better people than most, and seem to be willing to spend a little more to do something positive for their environment and their community.
That said, wasn’t it no less a thinker than Albert Einstein who said, “Compound interest is the most powerful force in the universe” (Google it.)? And, with a 5% rate hike compounding every year from now until the AI and data center bubbles burst, the impact energy rates may have on all our pocketbooks may be enough to put “Lowering my monthly utility bills” back on top.
If and when that happens: be smart, get several quotes, and understand the difference between buying and leasing your PV system (especially if you plan on selling your home in the foreseeable future).
SOURCES: Reddit, EIA; featured image via Tesla.
If you’re considering going solar, it’s always a good idea to get quotes from a few installers. To make sure you find a trusted, reliable solar installer near you that offers competitive pricing, check out EnergySage, a free service that makes it easy for you to go solar. It has hundreds of pre-vetted solar installers competing for your business, ensuring you get high-quality solutions and save 20-30% compared to going it alone. Plus, it’s free to use, and you won’t get sales calls until you select an installer and share your phone number with them.
Your personalized solar quotes are easy to compare online and you’ll get access to unbiased Energy Advisors to help you every step of the way. Get started here.
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It seems like the writing was already on the wall last week when Volvo moved to make its Luminar-supplied LiDAR system an option – there are now reports that the Swedish car brand is set to ditch LiDAR tech entirely in 2026.
In a recent SEC filing following a missed interest payment on its 2L notes, Luminar confirmed that Volvo’s new ES90 and EX90 flagship models (along with the new Polestar 3) would no longer be offered with LiDAR from Luminar. The move signals a full reversal on the safety tech that had started as standard equipment, then became an option, and is now (according to reports from CarScoops) gone altogether.
In a statement, a Volvo Cars USA spokesperson added the decision was reportedly made, “to limit the company’s supply chain risk exposure, and it is a direct result of Luminar’s failure to meet its contractual obligations to Volvo Cars.”
This is what Luminar had to say about the current, icy state of the two companies’ relationship as of the 31OCT filing:
The Company’s largest customer, Volvo Cars (“Volvo”), has informed us that, beginning in April 2026, Volvo will no longer make our Iris LiDAR standard on its EX90 and ES90 vehicles (although Iris will remain an option). Volvo also informed the Company that it has deferred the decision as to whether to include LiDAR, including Halo (Luminar’s next generation LiDAR under development), in its next generation of vehicles from 2027 to 2029 at the earliest. As a result of these actions, the Company has made a claim against Volvo for significant damages and has suspended further commitments of Iris LiDAR products for Volvo pending resolution of the dispute. The Company is in discussions with Volvo concerning the dispute; however, there can be no assurance that the dispute will be resolved favorably or at all. Furthermore, there can be no guarantee that any claim or litigation against Volvo will be successful or that the Company will be able to recover damages from Volvo.
As a result of the foregoing, the Company is suspending its guidance for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2025.
On November 14, Luminar confirmed that Volvo had terminated its contract altogether, in a blow that could leave Luminar rethinking its long-term future and planning litigation against its biggest ex-customer.
The news follows a host of significant upgrades to the EX90 that include a new, more dependable electronic control module (ECM) and 800V system architecture for faster charging and upgraded ADAS that improves the automatic emergency steering functions and Park Pilot assistant.
Electrek’s Take
You can’t spend years telling everyone you’re miles ahead because you have LiDAR, then ditch LiDAR, and pretend no one is going to call you out on it. They had better hope they don’t up on Mark Rober’s YouTube channel doing a Wile E. Coyote impression (above).
That said, it’ll be interesting to see if ditching the LiDAR has a negative impact there. Or, frankly, whether ditching the LiDAR and its heavy compute loads will actually help mitigate some of the EX90’s niggling software issues. It could go either way, really – and I’m not quite sure which it will be. Let us know which way you think it’ll go in the comments.
SOURCE: Luminar, via SEC filing; featured image by Volvo.
If you’re considering going solar, it’s always a good idea to get quotes from a few installers. To make sure you find a trusted, reliable solar installer near you that offers competitive pricing, check out EnergySage, a free service that makes it easy for you to go solar. It has hundreds of pre-vetted solar installers competing for your business, ensuring you get high-quality solutions and save 20-30% compared to going it alone. Plus, it’s free to use, and you won’t get sales calls until you select an installer and share your phone number with them.
Your personalized solar quotes are easy to compare online and you’ll get access to unbiased Energy Advisors to help you every step of the way. Get started here.
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The new John Deere Z370RS Electric ZTrak zero turn electric riding mower promises all the power and performance Deere’s customers have come to expect from its quiet, maintenance-free electric offerings – but with an all new twist: removable batteries.
The latest residential ZT electric mower from John Deere features a 42″ AccelDeep mower deck for broad, capable cuts through up to 1.25 acres of lawn per charge, which is about what you’d expect from the current generation of battery-powered Deeres – but this is where the new Z370RS Electric ZTrak comes into its own.
Flip the lid behind the comfortably padded yellow seat and you’ll be greeted by six (6!) 56V ARC Lithium batteries from electric outdoor brand EGO. Those removable batteries can be swapped out of the Z370RS for fresh ones in seconds, getting you back to work in less time than it takes to gravity pour a tank of gas.
And, because they’re EGO batteries, they can be used in any 56V-powered EGO-brand tools and minibikes for unprecedented cross-brand interoperability. Tools and minibikes that, it should be noted, can be purchased at John Deere dealers across the country.
The upsell scripts write themselves, kids. And when you start your dialing, tell your prospective customers their new Z370RS Electric ZTrak electric mower lists for $6,499, and if you order now we can bundle it with EGO minibike for the kiddos – just in time for the holidays!
Electrek’s Take
When John Deere launched the first Z370R, Peter Johnson wrote that electrifying lawn equipment needs to be a priority, citing EPA data that showed gas-powered lawnmowers making up five percent of the total air pollution in the US (despite covering far less than 5% of the total miles driven on that gas). “Moreover,” he writes, “it takes about 800 million gallons of gasoline each year (with an additional 17 million gallons spilled) to fuel this equipment.”
It should go without saying, then, that states like California, which are banning small off-road combustion engines, have the right idea.
SOURCE | IMAGES: John Deere.
If you’re considering going solar, it’s always a good idea to get quotes from a few installers. To make sure you find a trusted, reliable solar installer near you that offers competitive pricing, check out EnergySage, a free service that makes it easy for you to go solar. It has hundreds of pre-vetted solar installers competing for your business, ensuring you get high-quality solutions and save 20-30% compared to going it alone. Plus, it’s free to use, and you won’t get sales calls until you select an installer and share your phone number with them.
Your personalized solar quotes are easy to compare online and you’ll get access to unbiased Energy Advisors to help you every step of the way. Get started here.
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.
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