Solarpunk technology

2769 readers

24 users here now

Technology for a Solar-Punk future.

Airships and hydroponic farms...

founded 2 years ago

MODERATORS

[email protected]

How our drinking water could come from thin air (www.bbc.com)

submitted 1 year ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

16 comments fedilink hide all child comments

Southern Nevada is in the grip of one of the worst droughts it has experienced in recorded history, leading to water shortages and restrictions on use. So, in water-stressed areas such as this, the prospect of wringing water from thin air is an appealing prospect. And it is exactly what Cody Friesen is trying to do.

Friesen, an associate professor of materials science at Arizona State University, has developed a solar-powered hydropanel that can absorb water vapour at high volumes when exposed to sunlight.

It is a modern-day twist on an approach been used for centuries to pull water from the atmosphere, such as using trees or nets to "catch" fog in Peru, a practice that dates back to the 1500s and is still being used today.

you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments

[–] [email protected] 34 points 1 year ago (7 children)

Sigh, this is just a dehumidifier, not a solution to the water crisis, look up Fontus or Waterseer, or just google "water from air scam".

The technology can't work where it is needed, and isn't needed where it can work.

It needs humidity, but if you are in a humid area then you will have access to water that you can filter/treat into drinking water for far less cost than this stupid idea, and in dry areas there isn't any significant water in the air to extract, making it far more efficient to truck water in.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago (1 children)

What about in London? The UK is very humid, yet London relies heavily on ~40% unsustainable groundwater

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 year ago

Properly managed, groundwater can be sustainable.

The issue is that the energy required per litre of water is poor, even with high humidity. Other options, like long pipelines from other areas or desalination, start looking very appealing.

load more comments (5 replies)