Futuristic Solar Panels May Gather Energy From Raindrops

The Paris Climate Change Treaty is an agreement among the members of the United Nations Confederation to significantly reduce the use of non-renewable energy and decrease the amount of carbon emissions by 2020. A challenging feat, it motivates scientists from all over the world to test their knowledge and expertise in possibly improving the technology of gathering energy through renewable sources.

One such innovation is to develop solar panels into a multi-purpose device which can collect energy from varied sources other than the heat of the sun. It has been reported that a number of people are reluctant to use solar panels as a source of energy since relying on weather seems too much of a risk.

Normal solar panels cannot produce the optimum amount of energy in very bad weather conditions, making it almost useless when there is not enough heat coming from the sun. A report from the Science News Journal stated that it is from this idea that a device has been developed to maximize raindrops as a source of energy.  

The experiment showed promising results as a thin layer of graphene was used to coat the solar cells. According to the report, the graphene from the solar panel will be absorbed and will eventually turn into ions. When water clings to the graphene, the energy difference from the produced ions between layers of the newly formed panel will let electrons flow. This is what the future of solar panels might look like -- a fully functioning device in spite of the weather.

Despite the fact that President-elect Trump has been rumored to be pulling out of the agreement, it does not stop scientists and enthusiasts from developing new methods and technologies that will help meet the objectives of the treaty. With 2020 within our grasps, there are ongoing research studies that can turn the most unexpected into incredible sources of energy.