Smart window generates electricity from raindrops - without solar cells

A new smart window can generate electricity from rain and save energy at the same time. When you think of producing your own electricity from renewable sources, the first thing that probably comes to mind is solar energy, which is now available in the form of easy-to-operate balcony power stations or larger solar systems that are within everyone's reach.

Wind power or Geothermal energy may also come to mind for some people in order to be as self-sufficient as possible, but how does electricity generation from rain work? The new "Plus Energy" window was developed at the University of Seoul and uses ITO (indium tin oxide) as a semiconductor.

Many applications such as photovoltaics, LEDs and display elements today require the transparent electrode with high conductivity made of ITO in order to function. However, the South Korean research team uses a combination of several layers of ITO and silver. The ITO-silver combination generates electricity through the friction of raindrops on the electrode. The team reported in their study, titled “Energy-saving window for versatile multimode of radiative cooling, energy harvesting, and defrosting functionalities":

In an experiment simulating rainy conditions, the smart windows generated 8.3 W m-2 of power with just a single raindrop.

This means that an output of 8.3 watts is generated over an area of one square meter. The new technology is particularly interesting on hot days, which are expected to become increasingly frequent in many regions of the world due to climate change. In contrast to conventional window panes with high solar absorption, the smart window has a cooling effect.

As only the visible part of the sunlight spectrum is transmitted, the indoor temperature can be lowered by around 7 degrees when outside temperatures are high, reducing dependence on conventional cooling systems - and without additional energy consumption.

The final advantage of the window is its ability to de-ice itself on frosty days through a transparent heating function, without requiring additional energy. Detailed information on the project can be found in the study published at Nano Energy.

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