Solar panels now use rain as an ally in a system that captures light and the impact of raindrops simultaneously to generate energy.

Written by Noel Budeguer

Published on 13/04/2026 at 12:03

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With a layer of just 100 nanometers, the new solar module can resist moisture, capture energy from rain, and maintain operation on cloudy days, changing the role of bad weather in electrical production

More than a technical advancement, the new technology changes a historical limitation of solar energy. On cloudy or rainy days, production has always dropped sharply, reducing system efficiency.

Now, this scenario begins to transform. A solution developed in Spain allows rain to cease being an obstacle and instead act as an additional source of electricity, increasing generation even when the sun does not shine.

Seville Institute develops solution with ultrathin layer

The advancement was created by the Institute of Materials Science of Seville, responsible for developing a layer of just 100 nanometers applied over perovskite solar cells.

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Plasma techniques reinforce resistance and generation

Visual representation of the parts that make up a manufactured solar module. (sciencedirect.com)

To solve this limitation, researchers used plasma techniques capable of forming a protective barrier more resistant to external conditions.

In addition to protection, this layer adds triboelectric properties. In practice, the panel begins to convert the impact of raindrops into electrical energy, creating a second source of generation in the same equipment.

Impact of the drops can generate up to 110 volts

Each time water hits the surface of the panel, a small electric discharge occurs. In tests, the system produced up to 110 volts per impact, transforming rain into an energy resource.

According to ScienceDirect, an international platform that gathers peer-reviewed scientific studies, the performance indicates that the combination of solar energy and the triboelectric effect can expand the use of these modules in different environments.

Application in sensors and remote areas gains prominence

According to researcher Fernando Núñez, the technology proves especially useful for powering sensors and weather stations in isolated locations.

In these scenarios, changing batteries is expensive and often unfeasible. With the new solution, devices can operate continuously, regardless of weather conditions.

Continuous energy strengthens connected systems

Visual representation of a hybrid solar module designed to capture energy from sunlight and the impact of rain.

The ability to generate energy from both sun and rain simultaneously expands the potential for use in Internet of Things systems.

Scientific equipment, environmental sensors, and remote structures gain greater autonomy. The weather ceases to be a risk factor and begins to contribute to energy stability.

How sunlight continues to generate electricity

Even with the gain brought by rain, the traditional operation of solar energy remains essential. Photovoltaic cells use silicon treated with positive and negative charges to create an internal electric field.

When light hits the panel, particles called photons transfer energy to the electrons. This movement generates an electric current in the form of direct current.

For household use, this energy needs to be converted into alternating current through an inverter, allowing it to power equipment, lighting, and appliances.

The combination of solar capture and rain energy expands the reach of renewable generation. The system begins to operate with greater stability and less dependence on ideal weather.

By transforming a limitation into an advantage, the technology repositions how clean energy can be applied and changes the strategic outlook.

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Solar panels now use rain as an ally in a system that captures light and the impact of raindrops simultaneously to generate energy.

With a layer of just 100 nanometers, the new solar module can resist moisture, capture energy from rain, and maintain operation on cloudy days, changing the role of bad weather in electrical production

Seville Institute develops solution with ultrathin layer

Plasma techniques reinforce resistance and generation

Impact of the drops can generate up to 110 volts

Application in sensors and remote areas gains prominence

Continuous energy strengthens connected systems

How sunlight continues to generate electricity

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Solar panels now use rain as an ally in a system that captures light and the impact of raindrops simultaneously to generate energy.

With a layer of just 100 nanometers, the new solar module can resist moisture, capture energy from rain, and maintain operation on cloudy days, changing the role of bad weather in electrical production

Seville Institute develops solution with ultrathin layer

Plasma techniques reinforce resistance and generation

Impact of the drops can generate up to 110 volts

Application in sensors and remote areas gains prominence

Continuous energy strengthens connected systems

How sunlight continues to generate electricity

Scientists enter a narrow, flooded cave 500 meters deep and find giant dinosaur footprints on the ceiling measuring up to 1.25 meters, preserved in such a rare way that a new type of trace had to be created.

In Botswana, a salt flat of up to 16,000 km² that was once an African megalake spends months as an absolute white desert, but during the rainy season it transforms into a shallow sea that reappears from nowhere and can be seen from space in the middle of southern Africa.

A giant half-ton ring fell in Kenya from space, and more than a year later, scientists still do not know where it came from.

After two years of internal discussions, Paraguay has finally regulated the law that opens the country to foreign technology and service companies with tax incentives that promise to create thousands of jobs and change the economy.

Map reveals how the Earth may look in 250 million years: continents will reunite in the Last Pangaea, 92% of the planet could become uninhabitable for mammals, and Spain appears among the rare possible exceptions.

About 6,000 residents live concentrated along a single street nearly 9 km long in the interior of Poland, with houses forming a continuous row and narrow agricultural strips emerging behind them, creating one of the most unusual rural patterns in Europe.

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