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Solar-Powered Atmospheric Water Generation Hydropanels

Solution Overview

SOURCE Hydropanels represent an off-grid renewable drinking water technology that uses sunlight to extract water vapor from the air and transform it into mineralized drinking water.[1][3][10] The technology was first developed at Arizona State University by company CEO Cody Friesen, an associate professor of materials science, with backing from an 11-member team of researchers at ASU's Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering.[2][1][5] This approach addresses water scarcity challenges in arid regions while eliminating dependence on traditional water infrastructure and reducing single-use plastic bottle consumption.[2]

Technical Components

The hydropanels function essentially as solar panels that produce water instead of electricity and require no additional power source to operate.[1] Solar-powered fans draw ambient air into the system, where hydrophilic membranes trap water vapor from the air.[1] Solar-powered sensors measure ambient air temperature, solar intensity, and relative humidity, feeding data into an algorithm that dynamically controls the rate at which fans draw air into the device to optimize performance.[6] The system converts collected water vapor into liquid water using heat from the sun.[2] Water pools in a 30-liter reservoir at the base of each device, where it is regularly treated with ozone to prevent microbial growth.[6][7] Before reaching a dispenser, the pure water flows through calcium and magnesium mineral cartridges to achieve an ideal taste profile.[1][6][2] Each panel measures eight feet by four feet by five inches atop a base with a reservoir, stands approximately three feet tall total, and weighs between 300 and 340 pounds.[6][5] Digital sensors inside the panels connect to a cloud-based, 24-hour monitoring system that creates insight into water quality and quantity.[10] Solar-powered wireless transmitters send live data to a cloud database, enabling the company's network operations center to monitor all installed panels and resolve functional issues with over-the-air commands and programming.[6][1]

Implementation Details

The technology has been deployed across 45 to 50 countries and six continents in industrial, commercial, residential and community applications.[8][1][10] Each panel can reliably deliver an average of 3 to 5 liters of water per day, even in arid desert regions like Arizona and soggy, overcast areas like the Pacific Northwest.[1][7] A typical two-panel array produces approximately 10 liters of water daily, enough to supply four to six people.[1][3] Production varies based on sun intensity, humidity and other weather conditions, generating enough water to fill 300 to 600 standard-size water bottles per month.[3] Each panel stores 30 liters of water, equivalent to 60 sixteen-ounce bottles, to maintain supply during cloud cover.[7] The panels have a 15-year operational lifespan.[7] Installation costs for a two-panel residential array range from $4,500 to $6,500 including installation, with individual panel sticker prices at $2,000.[1][5][2] Arrays scale from small residential installations of a few panels to multi-thousand panel water farms serving entire communities, businesses, and sustainable bottling operations.[9][10] Arizona State University powered up a water farm in September that can produce 400,000 gallons of drinking water annually, or approximately 1.5 million liters.[2] The company raised $50 million in Series C1 equity financing led by funds managed by BlackRock, with participation from Duke Energy, Breakthrough Energy Ventures, and Material Impact Fund.[9] Subsequently, the company raised $130 million in Series D equity financing co-led by Breakthrough Energy Ventures and Drawdown Fund, bringing total funding to $270 million.[10] The company is headquartered in Scottsdale, Arizona and locally manufactures the hydropanels while engaging in partnerships in Australia and South Africa.[3][9]

Benefits and Impacts

At Copper King Elementary School in Phoenix, approximately 10 panels were installed two years ago, with students using their own reusable containers to get water from a SOURCE-fed dispenser outside the STEAM lab.[1] Near the far north wall of Copper King's expansive campus on West Campbell Avenue, two rows of five hydropanels are arrayed outside the STEAM classroom.[3] The Pendergast Elementary School District's partnership with Zero Mass Water in Phoenix is part of the district's commitment to sustainability programs as well as expansion of a robust science, technology, engineering, art and mathematics (STEAM) curriculum, allowing west Phoenix students to explore the off-grid technology.[1][3] Two panels installed at Friesen's home in Scottsdale provide the family of four humans and two dogs with water for drinking and cooking, even with an average 110 days of triple-digit temperatures and more than seven months of single-digit humidity.[1][6] More than 500 homes on the Navajo Nation in Arizona and New Mexico have been equipped with hydropanels that absorb water from the air and deliver it straight to a dispenser inside the house, saving tribal families as much as $840 per year by reducing or eliminating the need to purchase bottled water or truck it in.[4][5] The Navajo panels produce between 2 and 4 liters per day, depending on their location on the reservation.[5] An additional 800 homes across Arizona will be equipped with the off-grid, renewable systems at no cost to homeowners, thanks to a $7.5 million state grant and assistance from Local First Arizona.[4] The Arizona Drinking Water Program will create jobs by providing community members the opportunity to become certified SOURCE Hydropanel installers.[4] One panel, over its 15-year life span, can reportedly eliminate the need for more than 54,000 single-use plastic water bottles.[2] In Bahia Hondita, Colombia, the company installed 156 hydropanels to bring renewable water to more than 300 residents of the Wayuu Tribe, eliminating the six-mile daily journey to haul clean water.[8] After Hurricane Maria in 2017, the company deployed hydropanels at fire stations in Puerto Rico for use by first responders and the public.[3]

Climate Adaptation Relevance

This technology addresses water scarcity challenges intensified by climate change in arid regions experiencing extreme heat and prolonged drought conditions. The system's ability to function reliably in locations with an average 110 days of triple-digit temperatures and more than seven months of single-digit humidity demonstrates its resilience to extreme climate conditions.[6] By providing decentralized, renewable water production independent of traditional infrastructure, the approach enhances community resilience to climate-related water supply disruptions.

Business Analysis

The market opportunity spans underserved communities lacking reliable water infrastructure, with nearly half of all tribal homes lacking access to reliable water sources, clean drinking water or basic sanitation according to a study by the Center for Natural Resources and Environmental Policy.[4] In Yuma County, an estimated 30% of colonia residents didn't have access to safe, clean drinking water, according to the Rural Community Assistance Partnership.[4] About 40% of households in the Navajo Nation live without running water, with Navajo Nation residents 67 times more likely than other Americans to lack running water in their homes.[7][5] To outfit all Navajo Nation homes in need of water with the panels would require approximately $40 to $70 million.[7] The initial demonstration project partnered with local Navajo governments and Navajo Power for 15 homes receiving two panels each, totaling 30 panels.[7] The residential market pricing model positions two-panel arrays at $5,500 to $6,500 including installation, with each array requiring 30 square feet of space.[5] Government grant programs provide critical financing mechanisms, as demonstrated by the $7.5 million state grant enabling 800 Arizona home installations at no cost to homeowners.[4] The company's $270 million in total funding and expansion to more than 50 countries indicates strong investor confidence in the scalable business model.[10] The investment strategy focuses on scaling global installations, launching direct-to-consumer initiatives including residential panel installations beyond North America, and accelerating innovation in advanced renewable water technologies.[9]

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