New tech allows solar panels to make electricity even from raindrops

Researchers at the Institute of Materials Science of Seville (ICMS) in Spain have developed a novel perovskite-based hybrid device capable of generating electricity both from sunlight and raindrops. This innovation addresses a key limitation of conventional solar cells, which typically underperform in cloudy or rainy conditions. The device features an ultra-thin protective film, created using plasma technology and no thicker than 100 nanometers, that not only shields the perovskite cells but also converts kinetic energy from falling raindrops into electrical energy via a triboelectric effect. Experiments demonstrated that a single raindrop could produce a potential difference of 110 volts, enough to power small portable devices. This hybrid solar-rain panel technology promises to enhance energy autonomy for a variety of applications, particularly in regions with frequent rainfall where traditional solar cells struggle. It could power outdoor sensors used in infrastructure monitoring, environmental data collection, precision agriculture, and Internet of Things (IoT) devices, even under water immersion