Energy is all around us – in the air, in the waves, and even in the grass beneath our feet. The key question is no longer whether energy exists, but whether we can harness it in the right way.
In search of answers, scientists around the world are tirelessly developing technologies that allow us to extract clean energy from nature. One fascinating breakthrough comes from researchers at the American Chemical Society, who have managed to generate electricity using raindrops.
How does it work? When flowing water drives a turbine, it generates electricity – the basic principle behind hydroelectric power. However, this method requires large volumes of water and complex infrastructure, which limits its use to river flows and larger bodies of water. But what happens when we only have a small amount of water, like rain? This is where an innovative approach comes into play, one that relies on electrical charge separation.
When water flows through a channel with a conductive inner surface, it causes the separation of electrical charges. This phenomenon can be used to generate electricity, but previous attempts were inefficient because the interaction occurred only at the surface of the channel. Scientists tried to solve this by creating micro- and nano-sized channels to increase the surface area. However, water does not flow easily through such tiny openings naturally, and when it is artificially pumped, more energy is used than produced.
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To overcome these challenges, researchers developed a new approach – using larger channels that allow rainwater to flow freely.
They built a simple system: water dripped from a metal needle, forming droplets similar to those that fall during rain. These droplets fell into a vertical, narrow polymer tube, 32 centimeters high and only two millimeters in diameter. When the droplets hit the top of the tube, short water columns were formed, separated by air pockets – a phenomenon known as plug flow. As the water moved down the tube, it came into contact with the inner walls, leading to the separation of electrical charges. The water was then collected in a container at the bottom, and wires placed at the top of the tube and in the container captured the generated electrical energy.
The results were highly encouraging: the system was able to convert over 10 percent of the energy from falling water into electrical energy. Compared to a constant, uninterrupted water flow, this method generated up to 100,000 times more electricity.
Even more impressive – in a second experiment, the team found that using two tubes simultaneously or in sequence doubled the amount of energy produced. When four tubes were used at once, they successfully powered 12 LED lights, which stayed illuminated for 20 seconds continuously.
This technology has the potential to offer a simpler, more affordable, and more sustainable alternative to traditional hydroelectric power. Due to its compact design, it can be easily adapted to urban environments – for instance, installed on rooftops where it would collect rainwater and convert it directly into energy.
Milena Maglovski
