Mineralizing rivers, desalinating oceans, drilling into the ground. There are many different ways to access drinking water in places where it's in short supply. But with overpopulation, climate change and increasing water scarcity, innovators have been on the lookout for a new solution -- and some are convinced the answer is up in the air.
SOURCE Global is one of the many companies around the world extracting water from the air, with the hope of helping water-scarce communities. However, its technology has a sustainable twist. Named Hydropanels, its devices are powered by built-in solar panels.
"You're able to harvest water from the air using solar and nothing else, no need for electricity, no need for (a) grid, no need for infrastructure -- it's perfectly self-sufficient," explains Vahid Fotuhi, the company's vice president for Europe, Middle East and Africa.
SOURCE has installed its hydropanels around the world at hospitals, schools and work sites that have difficulties accessing water. It has also attracted commercial clients -- particularly in countries catering to tourists in isolated landscapes, such as the desert.
"In the Middle East, we've seen a lot of interest in the hospitality sector as big brands look for a more sustainable solution for water to accommodates Millennials, who are looking for demonstrated sustainability,"
Currently, SOURCE's flagship hospitality offering is in a luxury desert camp in Dubai, where its Hydropanels produce drinking water on site. Fotuhi believes it shows the scalability of these water generators, which could operate as one panel in a family home to or a number installed at large hotel resorts. Its next partnership will be in Saudi Arabia's Red Sea coast, where a development company is aiming to build 18 hotels that will serve SOURCE's water
