Chinese Researchers Invent New Solar Cells to Harvest Energy from Both Sun and Rain

A group of Chinese scientists from the Ocean University of China has invented a new kind of solar cell that can work on rainy days, when alternative solar panels will not generate electricity due to reliance on constant sunshine.

The new kind of solar cell creates electricity from rain as well as sun. It's coated in a layer of graphene, a material that is known for its conductivity. Rain contains ammonium, calcium, and sodium, which become ions when in solution. On top of a layer of graphene, these create spots of unbalanced charges. The electrons in the graphene bind with positively charged ions in the rain water, and the movement of electrons is an electric current.

The efficiency of the new solar cells is not yet great enough to compete with those used widely today. But it is the first type of solar cell that can generate on rainy days, which the researchers believe will be a key to increasing the versatility of renewable energy sources.