Rain-Powered Solar Panels in Wichita: Our White Paper

Kansas has made significant strides in renewable energy adoption, with 60-64% of electricity coming from renewable sources, primarily wind power since 2019. 

Solar energy remains underutilized despite its potential to generate power during peak demand periods. An innovative solution gaining attention is rain-powered solar panel technology, which could be particularly beneficial for Wichita’s variable climate.

Understanding Rain-Powered Solar Technology

Triboelectric Nanogenerators (TENGs)

Rain-powered solar panels utilize the triboelectric effect, wherein certain materials produce an electrical charge when contacting different materials. Triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs) create this charge through friction and can harvest latent energy from raindrops. 

This technology enables solar panels to generate electricity even during rainy weather, addressing one of traditional solar’s key limitations.

Engineers have created hybrid panels by adding two transparent polymer layers atop conventional solar panels.

The upper layer typically consists of polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS), while the lower layer is made of poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(styrenesulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS). These layers are often patterned with grooves modeled after DVD data patterns to increase efficiency.

Integration Process

When raindrops fall onto these panels, they push the top polymer layer into contact with the lower layer, which acts as an electrode between the TENG and the solar panel. This contact generates an electrical charge, converting the kinetic energy of raindrops into usable electricity.

Advanced research has demonstrated mechanical energy conversion efficiency of up to 24.89% in multilayered TENG designs, with some commercial applications achieving around 12.49% efficiency.

Key Benefits Summary:

• Enables electricity generation during rainy conditions
  
• Complements traditional solar technology
  
• Provides continuous power generation in variable weather
  
• Utilizes previously wasted raindrop energy

Wichita’s Climate and Energy Potential

Local Weather Patterns

• Wichita experiences diverse weather conditions throughout the year, including periods of abundant sunshine and seasonal rainfall. This variable climate makes the city an ideal candidate for hybrid rain-powered solar technology.

Expected Energy Generation

• While traditional solar panels operate at reduced capacity during overcast or rainy conditions, hybrid panels can maintain energy production. Research indicates that raindrop output power can reach 0.68 mW per drop in optimized systems. Even with this relatively small output, the cumulative effect during rainfall provides valuable supplementary energy.

Cost-Benefit Analysis

Price Comparison Table

System Type	Average Cost (Before Incentives)	Federal Tax Credit	Estimated Payback Period	Weather Resilience
Traditional Solar	$20,000-27,000 (10kW)	30%	8-12 years	Sunlight only
Rain-Powered Solar	$25,000-32,000* (10kW)	30%	7-10 years*	Sun and rain
No Solar	$0 (Evergy service)	N/A	N/A	N/A

*Estimated based on emerging technology costs

Return on Investment

Kansas solar installations typically see payback periods between 8-12 years. With the 30% federal tax credit, a typical solar installation becomes more economically feasible, though Kansas offers no additional state incentives. 

Monthly payments for financed systems average $123-134, comparable to standard electric bills.

Investment Summary:

• Higher initial investment than traditional solar
  
• Potentially faster ROI due to all-weather generation
  
• Federal tax credit significantly reduces effective cost
  
• No Kansas state incentives currently available

Case Study: Early Kansas Solar Adoption

Whereas specific rain-powered solar installations in Wichita are limited, early solar adopters in Kansas provide valuable insights. One Kansas resident reported installing rooftop solar in January with production already reaching 1.2 MWh—exceeding expectations despite winter installation.

This resident noted:

• System performs above projections
  
• Powers an electric vehicle with 90% self-generated electricity
  
• Expected ROI within 7-9 years despite higher upfront costs

Future Prospects for Wichita

Technological Advancements

Research continues to improve rain energy harvesting efficiency. Innovations include:

• Multilayered TENGs for continuous raindrop energy harvesting
  
• All-inorganic hybrid energy harvesters with improved durability
  
• Superhydrophobic SiO2 films that reduce tilt angle dependence and enable self-cleaning

Local Market Development

The Wichita solar market continues to evolve with companies like Encore Solar serving local customers. As technology advances and prices decrease, hybrid rain-powered systems could become increasingly viable for Wichita homeowners.

The current challenges include relatively high upfront costs and limited local incentives, with Evergy (the local utility) offering minimal buyback rates for excess generation compared to other states.

Despite these challenges, the combination of federal incentives, increasingly affordable technology, and all-weather generation capability makes rain-powered solar panels a promising future energy solution for Wichita residents seeking energy independence in Kansas’s evolving renewable landscape.