MOÏZ – Resilient Rail Infrastructure for a Changing Climate

The Problem

Climate change is placing unprecedented stress on railway infrastructure across Europe. Extreme heat events in Europe have increased tenfold over the past six decades, and weather extremes, both hot and cold, are now more frequent, longer-lasting, and more widespread than ever before. Rail networks are particularly vulnerable to this thermal stress, and the ability to detect weather-related risks in real time has become essential to keeping trains running safely and reliably.

Two climate threats put the network at risk. Extreme heat can cause rails to overheat and deform, leading to speed restrictions or, in worst cases, derailments. Rail buckling is now a documented risk even in northern Europe, and thermal stress accelerates wear on substations and signaling equipment. Extreme cold and frost cause overhead catenary lines to freeze, increasing vibration, electrical arcing, and overheating; pantographs can detach entirely, halting trains.

Existing approaches fall short. Periodic manual inspections are too infrequent to catch sudden heat or frost events. Battery-powered sensors are impractical to scale across wide networks due to cabling, battery replacement costs, and maintenance complexity. Generic weather alerts report ambient air temperature rather than the actual thermal condition of the rail or catenary. And doing nothing is no longer viable given mounting regulatory and operational pressure for data-driven asset management.

The Solution

MOÏZ offers wireless, batteryless IoT sensors purpose-built for railway asset monitoring, giving operators continuous, real-time data to act before disruptions or safety hazards occur. The system delivers three core benefits: real-time data through continuous monitoring of thermal conditions across the entire network; zero maintenance, since energy harvesting eliminates the need for battery replacement entirely; and rapid deployment, with magnetic mounting taking only minutes per sensor and no service disruption.

Coverage

A single device platform covers the full network. Rail monitoring tracks temperatures remotely with magnetic-mounted sensors installed in minutes, transmitting data every 5–15 minutes (faster near alarm thresholds), enabling targeted speed restrictions or proactive maintenance without service disruption. Catenary monitoring detects frost and icing on overhead lines before pantograph damage occurs, using up to four temperature probes per unit mounted via a telescopic insulated pole. Trackside equipment monitoring extends the same wireless, batteryless platform to substations, signaling equipment, and other critical assets, feeding data into existing supervision systems or MOÏZ’s own dashboards.

The Technology

At the core is MOÏZ’s patented Harvestree™ device, which harvests thermal energy from gradients as low as 6°C. It is IP68 and IK7 rated, fully sealed and impact-resistant, with heavy-duty construction built to withstand extreme heat and cold. Each unit combines the harvesting mechanism and sensors into a single wireless, batteryless device, using LoRa connectivity with a range up to 8 km, ideal for geographically dispersed rail networks. The system is compatible with existing SCADA and supervision platforms, or can run on MOÏZ’s own dashboards.

Deployment follows four simple steps: selecting locations without need for a specialist survey, mounting sensors (magnetically on rails, via insulated pole on catenaries with no climbing required), connecting and configuring alert thresholds remotely, and monitoring in real time with automated alerts.

Business Case

MOÏZ claims the lowest total cost of ownership on the market by eliminating battery and cabling replacement costs, reducing manual inspection expenses through continuous remote monitoring, enabling affordable scaling across entire networks in weeks, and preventing service disruptions through proactive, real-time alerts.

Validation

Sensors are already deployed on live rail and catenary infrastructure across multiple European networks, with the Harvestree technology validated in real field conditions. MOÏZ is working with leading rail infrastructure operators and partners across Europe, and offers pilot programs for operators wanting to test the technology on their own infrastructure.

MOÏZ is a French deep-tech startup built on a simple conviction: industrial digitalization shouldn’t come at the planet’s expense. Its patented thermal energy harvesting technology, developed from CNRS research, converts wasted heat from industrial processes directly into power for connected sensors, eliminating the need for batteries or cabling entirely. This removes a significant source of electronic waste and toxic battery disposal at scale, while cutting the material and energy footprint of installation (no cables, no trenching, no truck rolls for maintenance). By making sensors 100% autonomous, MOÏZ enables industries in metallurgy, energy, and railway to monitor and optimize their processes more efficiently, supporting decarbonization efforts across energy-intensive sectors. The company positions its mission around several UN Sustainable Development Goals, and its approach reflects a broader commitment: proving that industrial digitalization and environmental responsibility can advance together, not at odds.