Zero Mass Water has created a device that captures water vapours in the air, providing a secure and climate resilient source of drinking water.
SOURCE Hydropanels, developed by Zero Mass Water, generate clean drinking water from two unsuspecting but infinite sources – sunlight and air. Hydropanels contain special adsorption materials that capture water vapour from the air, which is then condensed into water, using solar power from solar cells installed in the panels. These adsorption materials only attract water particles, meaning the water created will not be contaminated by airborne pollutants and therefore does not require filtering. The water is mineralised with calcium and magnesium before it is channeled to a free standing or existing tap. A pair of Hydropanels can produce between four to ten litres of potable water per day and store a combined total of 60 litres.
The company has also created an app for the SOURCE Hydropanels that informs users how much water they currently have stored, and using local weather data predicts how much water is expected to be produced in coming days.
SOURCE technology has already been installed in a range of applications, from off-grid properties, to schools, retirement villages, and more. On the island of Tanna in Vanuatu, 20 Hydropanels were installed in the Petros Primary School in partnership with the Asian Development Bank in order to ensure that school students have consistent access to clean drinking water. The island suffered devastating damage to their drinking water infrastructure during Cyclone Pam in 2015.
Zero Mass Water estimates that SOURCE Hydropanels have prevented 429,000 single-use plastic water bottles from being landfilled, due to the 215,000 litres of water that has been produced to date.
Why you should care
In 2015, three in ten people worldwide still lacked access to clean drinking water. Meanwhile, by 2020 it is expected that we will consume 465 billion litres of bottled water annually. Zero Mass Water is helping to overcome this challenge by creating a source of clean water that is climate resilient and can eliminate reliance on bottled water.
How the Global Goals are addressed
Clean water and sanitation
SOURCE Hydropanels have already been used to create 215,000 litres of potable water in a number of water stressed areas.
Climate action
SOURCE Hydropanels can produce water regardless of humidity or rainfall, and can help to improve supply security in areas at risk from heightened water stress, improving resilience to climate change.
Zero Mass Water
Zero Mass Water is a renewable water company specialising in technologies to extract drinking water from the air.
Global Goals addressed