US Company to Launch Canned Drinking Water from Sun and Air

Canned water made from air and sunlight will soon be available in the US. The aim is to stimulate the production of solar-powered “hydropanels” that provide an off-grid way to generate drinking water. According to NewScientist, the sustainable solution, called Sky Wtr, is the product of Source, a Scottsdale, Arizona-based company. It is expected to launch in the US later this year. “Basically, we are distilling the air, so you get pure, distilled water as a result,” the company explained.

Source’s journey began 10 years ago with researchers at Arizona State University, who developed the hydropanel technology, the company reported. These panels are similar to solar panels, but instead of producing electricity, they produce clean water. They use sunlight as energy to draw water vapour from the air, which is then absorbed by a hygroscopic material.

The system then harnesses solar energy to release this moisture as a concentrated air stream, allowing the water inside the panel to passively condense, the dealer explained. Each panel can produce up to three liters of drinking water per day, enough to meet one person’s daily needs, even in arid regions like Arizona. The water produced is so pure, mineralized and ozonated that it’s safe to drink.

Source launched in 2014 as Zero Mass Water and has already installed its hydropanels in 56 countries around the world. The panels can be installed as a ground system or on rooftops and can be connected to a building’s drinking water pipes. The hydropanels cost $3,000 each. The company’s main customers are governments and development banks, whose goal is to provide drinking water to remote or water-scarce communities.

In Florida, Source also operates a “water farm” capable of producing 3,000 liters of water per day using the panel system. The water will be available for sale at major retailers across the US under the Sky Wtr brand from August or September 2024. The water will be sold in recyclable aluminium cans and bottles.

According to the company, the aim of the launch of Sky Wtr is to raise awareness of hydropanel technology and promote sustainable water sourcing, as well as to become more competitive in the bottled water market. Currently, the high cost of hydropanels is a barrier to widespread adoption, but the company is confident that prices will fall significantly in the near future, making sustainable home-produced water commercially viable.