Seeking to reduce drinking water shortages for 1 billion people through renewable energy, Alphabet researchers have developed a solar-powered device that produces 5L of water
Currently, it is estimated that at least 2,2 billion people in the world do not have access to safe drinking water, and scientists predict that number will be even higher as rising sea levels impact freshwater bodies. In an attempt to solve or alleviate the situation, scientists at Alphabet's moonshot factory have created a device that uses solar energy to "pull" water from the air, which can provide drinking water to a billion people around the world with renewable energy.
Read also
With the device it is possible to produce 5 L per square meter using only renewable energy
Showcasing their solar energy equipment in a new study in the journal Nature, the researchers claim that a solar energy collection area measuring 1 m² is enough to produce up to 5 L of fresh water per day.
However, this level of performance is only possible under certain conditions and needs sufficient temperature and sunlight, as well as a relative humidity of at least 30%. So while the device is highly useful in tropical climates, it is unlikely to meet the needs of those living in arid environments.
According to the researchers, most people who are facing shortages of drinking water live in the Ganges River Valley, India, or in sub-Saharan Africa, where conditions are conducive to the use of renewable energy equipment.
1 billion people can benefit from the solar energy device
Using Google Earth, the researchers extracted average weather data from locations around the world that are affected by water crises and compared them with population statistics to define the potential utilization of their renewable energy equipment.
The results showed that 1 billion people without access to potable water, currently, are located in regions where the climate allows the use of the device powered by solar energy.
According to the authors, in the study it is shown that atmospheric water abstraction could provide drinking water for one billion people. Still according to the researchers, the equipment is capable of supplying an average of 5 liters of drinking water per person per day.
Prototype that uses renewable energy is aimed at people living on $2
The company's equipment was designed to be affordable for people living on $2 to $8 a day. Composed of vacuum molded parts, the device has been improved over the last three years and is capable of generating potable water for just 10 cents a litre. However, the researchers responsible for the project intend to reduce the cost to just 1 cent, and for that, they made their project open source so that other researchers can contribute to the advancement.
Ultimately, the researchers aim to create a renewable energy device that can generate water at no cost in all climates, including dry environments with extremely low levels of relative humidity.
According to the researchers, tackling the impasse may provide a viable solution to one of the biggest difficulties facing a significant part of the world's population.
