French scientists have found a way to generate electricity from rain to power small devices.
See this video reportage from National Geographic.
Extracts from an article published on Thaindian News:
It may even be combined with solar power to extract as much energy from the environment as possible
the new technology may be used to power tiny, wireless sensors designed to monitor environmental conditions
“Our calculations show that even in the most unfavourable conditions, the mechanical energy of the raindrops…is high enough to power low-consumption devices,”
He has revealed that the method relies on a plastic called PVDF (for polyvinylidene difluoride), which has the unusual property of piezoelectricity.
The researcher says that PVDFwhich is used in a range of products from pipes, films, and wire insulators to high-end paints for metalcan produce a charge when it is mechanically deformed.
Romains team electrodes into a membrane of PVDF that was just 25 micrometers thick, and then bombarded the sheet with drops of water varying in diameter from 1 to 5 mm.
He says that vibrations were created as the drops hit the material, and that created a charge. The electrodes then recovered the charge for use as power.
Further reading: Article from Times Online