Full Answer
What is a hydropanel?
A hydropanel is a device that resembles a solar panel that pulls water out of the air, powered only by solar energy. It is designed to provide clean drinking water for people who lack access to it. It is basically a solar-powered dehumidifier with an advanced filtering system, so you drink clean water.
Why choose source™ hydropanels?
Phoenix Energy is authorized distributor for SOURCE™ Hydropanels, a product by Zero Mass Water™. Hydropanels combine sunlight + air to make, mineralize, and deliver a perfected supply of drinking water right to your tap without any electric or piped water input.
How do solar hydropanels work?
SOURCE hydropanels are engineered to only produce drinking water. The solar panels included on the arrays do not generate energy for the home, but rather the photovoltaic cells of the solar panel deliver power to a fan and the communication components within the two hydropanels. With These Solar Hydropanels, Results Vary by Location
Do hydropanels work in humid weather?
Of course, some areas are more humid than others, so it is in these humid parts of the country where the SOURCE hydropanels will deliver the best results. However, even in Scottsdale, Arizona, home to Zero Mass Water’s headquarters, the hydropanels are still able to produce water.
How much water do Hydropanels make?
The hydropanels produce an average of 3-5 liters of clean drinking water per day (or up to 1.3 gallons). They can operate independently of existing infrastructure, which comes in handy in many areas of the United States.
How does a Hydropanel work?
the hydropanels work by adsorbing water vapor from the air onto a hygroscopic material. the efficient application of solar energy causes the water vapor to respire from the materials inside the hydropanel, raising the relative humidity to a passively condensing vapor.
How long do Hydropanels last?
15-yearSOURCE Hydropanels have an expected 15-year lifespan at which point we recommend a detailed service.
Do Hydropanels work in the desert?
Although water production can vary depending on the weather in your location, SOURCE technology is optimized for a wide range of conditions and can even produce water in low to medium sun and humidity. Today, SOURCE is making water for people in some of the most arid deserts in the world.
Can you drink dehumidifier water?
Unlike distilled water (see Nitty Gritty), dehumidifier water is never sterilized through boiling. In case you were still entertaining the thought, let me make it clear: do not drink the condensate!
Can you make water out of thin air?
AUSTIN (KXAN) — Researchers with the University of Texas have developed a material capable of pulling water from the air, which can then be used for farming or drinking.
Are atmospheric water generators expensive?
“There's a built-in energy cost.” Skywell does offer a larger atmospheric water generator capable of producing 100 gallons of drinkable water per day. But the cost is astronomical: one unit costs about $28,000, more than 10 times the smaller unit.
How does off grid water with air and sunlight work?
Called a SOURCE Hydropanel, the system uses both solar photovoltaic and solar thermal to drive air through a proprietary water-absorbing material and condenses the extracted moisture into fluid. A small lithium-ion battery operates the device when the sun is not shining.
How much does a source panel cost?
The panel arrays, known as Source, use sunlight to harvest water from air vapor. The harvested vapor is then sterilized and turned to liquid, which is stored in a reservoir that connects to your home faucet. For $2,000 (plus around $500 for installation), Source can deliver about 2 to 5 liters of water daily.
How does Dubai get fresh water?
It uses thermal desalination as the dominant technology to make seawater potable. Today, most of the country's potable water (42 per cent of the total water requirement) comes from some 70 major desalination plants, which account for around 14 per cent of the world's total production of desalinated water.
Where does Dubai get its drinking water?
desalinated seawaterThe city relies primarily on desalinated seawater for the water supply. There are two central desalination plants in Dubai — one in Jebel Ali and the other in Al Kaffah. These two plants account for 80 percent of the city's water needs.
Do atmospheric water generators work in Arizona?
Water Generators You would think that with the low humidity levels in Phoenix that an atmospheric water generator would not work very well. But we have had much success in our home; we often get enough water from our AWG for two people to drink the recommended amount of water daily.
How does off grid water with air and sunlight work?
Called a SOURCE Hydropanel, the system uses both solar photovoltaic and solar thermal to drive air through a proprietary water-absorbing material and condenses the extracted moisture into fluid. A small lithium-ion battery operates the device when the sun is not shining.
How do atmospheric water generators work?
The atmospheric water machine draws in humid ambient air — there is almost always a small amount of water in the air that can be extracted. The air passes through a filtration system, which removes particulates and bacteria. The air is condensed into water in a condensation chamber.
How do you make water from air?
Water vapor in the air can be extracted by multiple techniques, including condensation - cooling the air below its dew point, exposing the air to desiccants, using membranes that only pass water vapor, collecting fog, or pressurizing the air.
How do solar panels get water?
Basically, the self-contained system lays solar panels on a special gel that can collect airborne water vapor. As soon as surplus heat coming from the panels touches the gel, the substance releases a sort of mist into a metal box. Within that container, the gas gets condensed into droplets of water.
What is a source hydropanel?
SOURCE hydropanels are engineered to only produce drinking water. The solar panels included on the arrays do not generate energy for the home, but rather the photovoltaic cells of the solar panel deliver power to a fan and the communication components within the two hydropanels.
How many hydro panels are there in a solar array?
A single SOURCE hydropanel arrayfeatures a standard solar panel with two hydropanels on each side of it. The hydropanels are made of two different proprietary materials, one that generates heat, and another that absorbs moisture from the air. This causes condensation to form, with the water droplets flowing into a 30-liter reservoir where calcium and magnesium are added.
How many plastic bottles can a two panel water system remove?
Additionally, the company said that over its lifetime, a two-panel array may be able to produce enough drinking water to remove 70,000 plastic bottles from circulation.
Is a source hydro panel good for drinking water?
With communities all over the world (including many right here in America, like Flint, Michigan), in severe need of clean drinking water, SOURCE hydropanels can be literally life saving. This makes the technology extremely valuable and practical, and more than just a trend in the solar industry.
Researchers Reveal How Hydropanels Can Bring Safe Water to Everyone
Cody Friesen, an associate professor of materials science at Arizona State University, founded the company. On trips to places like Indonesia and Central America, he noticed they received abundant rainfall but had no drinking water. This need ignited the spark in him to make every area water accessible.
The hydropanels show promise but face an uphill battle
Investors such as Blackrock and Bill Gates’ climate fund, Breakthrough Energy Ventures, have invested over $100m in Source. Venture capitalist Chamath Palihapitiya also donated $7m to install the panels in California, where droughts have become more persistent.
What is source hydropanel?
SOURCE™ Hydropanels make and mineralize pure water for taste and health benefits. Every morning when the sun comes up, you can have peace of mind knowing that your water supply is refreshed each day. Unlike municipal or bottled water, SOURCE™ is without water waste.
How is water vapour pulled from the air?
Water vapour is pulled from the air with a system powered by solar and then converted into liquid water.
How many litres of water are in a water panel?
Each panel holds 30 litres (60 standard water bottles) in a reservoir where it is mineralized and kept clean for optimal taste and health. Standard arrays, which are made up of 2 Hydropanels, have 60 litres of water storage capacity.
What is the cartridge in a reservoir?
One cartridge in reservoir: calcium and magnesium.
