Researchers have developed some of the tiniest solar cells ever made and believe the organic material could potentially turn any surface into a power source.

In research published in the Journal of Renewable and Sustainable Energy, Assistant Professor Xiaomei Jiang of the University of South Florida and colleagues have managed to draw several volts of electricity from a small array of the cells, each a quarter of the size of a grain of white rice.

Solar cells, which convert energy from the sun into electricity, are in increasing demand amid unstable oil prices and concerns over global warming.

Most conventional solar cells are made up of silicon wafers, a brittle substance that limits where they can be placed.

Many teams of scientists are working on different ways to make solar cells more flexible in the hopes of taking better advantage of energy from the sun.

She believes the material could be sprayed on any surface that is exposed to sunlight.