{{ vm.level2.list.title }}
{{ vm.tagsGroup }}
25 Jul 2025
6 Min Read
Prof Ts Dr Chockalingam Aravind Vaithilingam (Academic Contributor), Nellie Chan (Editor)
Malaysia’s heavy rainfall might seem like a setback for solar energy. But for one researcher, it was the spark for a new idea: why not make solar panels that work when it rains, too?
At Taylor’s University, Prof Ts Dr Chockalingam Aravind Vaithilingam and his team developed the world’s first ‘rain or shine’ solar cell integrated with contact-separation technology—a design that enables the cell to generate electricity not only from sunlight but also from raindrops making and breaking contact with its surface. His goal? To make renewable energy generation more resilient, efficient, and practical in tropical climates like Malaysia, where sunshine and storms often go hand in hand.
Prof Chockalingam is a professor at the School of Engineering and was the founding director of the Clean Technology Impact Lab, where his research focuses on affordable and clean energy. This particular project began with a simple observation: while traditional solar cells shut down when it rains, the rain itself carries energy that could be tapped.
Inspired by Malaysia’s frequent downpours and driven by a desire to improve the return on investment (ROI) for solar installations, Prof Chockalingam began exploring how to integrate rainfall energy harvesting into existing solar infrastructure.
We spoke to him about how this innovation came about, the science behind it, and its potential to reshape the future of clean energy.
Q: How did this idea first come to you?
A: It started with the realisation that rainfall is a regular, often intense part of life in Malaysia. At the same time, solar panels stop generating power during storms despite occupying valuable space. That made me think: what if we could harness the energy in rain and make better use of the existing infrastructure—even during bad weather?
Q: What’s the concept behind your ‘rain or shine’ solar cell?
A: It’s a hybrid solar cell that can generate electricity even during rain. The technology doesn’t compromise its function as a regular solar panel—it simply adds another way to produce power. In essence, it unlocks more value from the same infrastructure.
Q: How does it work during rainy conditions?
A: The hybrid cell features a specialised composite on top of the solar cell, made up of two dielectric films with conductive electrode layers on their undersides. When raindrops hit the surface, they trigger a contact-separation process, causing the films to repeatedly make and break contact. This motion generates positive and negative charges on the films, while inducing opposite charges on the electrodes. As the films separate, the resulting potential difference between the electrodes produces a voltage.
Q: What gap is this technology addressing?
A: Land use is a growing concern because solar installations require significant space. When solar systems go idle during rainfall, the land they occupy isn’t being fully utilised, which impacts long-term ROI. This technology adds value to existing installations and makes them more viable in rain-heavy regions.
Show All
Q: What’s been the biggest hurdle in this work so far?
A: Mimicking rainfall in the lab turned out to be a surprisingly big challenge. To test the hybrid solar panel properly, we had to accurately model the physics of falling rain and its impact on the panel. Recreating those conditions was tricky—but essential.
Q: Any surprises along the way?
A: Yes—when we ran the numbers, we were surprised by how much energy is actually present in rainfall. It’s not easy to harness because it’s spread out and inconsistent, but it’s definitely there. That discovery made us more confident that this concept is worth pursuing.
Q: What are the misconceptions about your research?
A: Many people think solar cells only generate electricity from sunlight because that’s their basic function. But through our work on hybridisation, we’re learning how to tap into other energy sources—even something as common, yet as opposite in nature, as rain.
Q: Why is this research important right now?
A: Energy security is more critical than ever. As our reliance on technology grows, so does the need for clean and resilient energy sources. If we can improve the reliability of solar cells by making them work even during rainfall, that could help communities that are off-grid or underserved by national utilities.
Q: What are the long-term goals for this project?
A: We’re now working with partners to scale the technology and evaluate its electro-optical performance using commercial-sized solar cells. If successful, it could change the entire solar roadmap. We hope to see a commercially ready hybrid solar cell within the next two to three years.
Q: Could this spark broader applications?
A: Absolutely. As we continue to miniaturise components and improve efficiency, we could see more energy-scavenging technologies emerge—especially ones that rethink how we collect and store energy from the environment.
Q: What drew you to engineering in the first place?
A: I’ve always been fascinated by how simple scientific principles can lead to practical solutions—what I like to call ‘idea engineering.’ That interest deepened during my university days, when I was introduced to design thinking and how it could translate those ideas into real-world applications. That mindset has stayed with me—even this project builds on something as simple as the triboelectric effect, like how rubbing a comb against dry hair generates a static charge. To me, that’s the beauty of engineering: turning fundamental science into something accessible, affordable, and scalable.
Q: What motivates you to pursue this kind of research?
A: Building on that early interest, I’m passionate about innovation that has a real impact. Research should lead to something meaningful—otherwise, it’s just a cost in time and money. This project has the potential to benefit both people and the planet, and that’s what keeps me going.
Q: Any personal philosophy you apply to your work?
A: Challenging the status quo is the first step towards creating value. If we’re going to solve the energy crisis, we need to be willing to look at familiar problems in unfamiliar ways. Sometimes, all it takes is a shift in perspective to turn a limitation into an opportunity for innovation.
Solar power has long been seen as a daytime-only solution. Prof Chockalingam’s hybrid solar technology challenges this assumption—pushing the boundaries of energy generation beyond sunlight alone. By capturing both sunlight and rainfall, the ‘rain or shine’ solar cell offers a fresh approach to clean energy, especially in tropical regions where the weather is often unpredictable.
The next step is scaling the technology to commercial levels, with ongoing research alongside partners to validate its electro-optical performance and market viability. If successful, this innovation could reshape solar technology—not just in Malaysia, but in any region where cloudy skies and frequent rainfall have traditionally reduced solar panel efficiency.
By reimagining what a storm can offer, Prof Chockalingam’s work brings us closer to a future of truly round-the-clock, renewable energy.
