Is Belgium's High-Speed Solar Train the Future of Travel?

BRADENTON – The European rail industry has been moving toward solar energy technology for quite some time and already has applications in which solar panels are used to provide power for rail-station electricity, as well as air conditioning aboard the trains. However, Belgium's groundbreaking solar tunnel system represents a giant leap in terms of applying solar energy as an alternative to fossil fuels.

Last month, the technology was showcased with a successful high-speed run from Antwerp to Amsterdam – all on solar energy. The most unique aspect of the train's technology is the solar source. It doesn't come from the train itself, but a 2.2 mile tunnel with 16,000 solar panels (about 8 football fields) along the roof.

The instillation cost, $22 million per tunnel, is already an attractive price tag considering the limited operational maintenance cost once it's constructed, though it's still expected to get less expensive as technology advances. Unlike other fuel systems, once it is built, it then goes on producing electricity at no additional cost, quickly recovering any investment above other systems. The technology is still in its infancy, but the early-term success is quite promising.