Power, rain or shine

Solar power is great, but what if it rains for days on end? Scientists have developed a new technology that integrates a thin film into panels to not only protect the fragile solar cells but also capture mechanical energy from falling rain.

While the impact of rain may seem minor, those tiny drops can generate measurable amounts of energy. According to research published in February by Brighter Side News. Researchers from the Materials Science Institute in Seville have ‘demonstrated that the impact of a drop can create over 100 volts of electricity’.