A Shanghai technology firm has unveiled what it claims is the world’s first comprehensive atmospheric water harvesting system, designed to provide off-grid, low-carbon drinking water in regions facing severe shortages, China Daily reports.
AtmosWell has described the system – developed from research by Shanghai Jiao Tong University’s “energy-water-air” innovation team, known as ITEWA – as designed to maximise water capture in different temperature and humidity conditions.
“Extracting potable water from air is one of humanity’s ultimate dreams for addressing uneven water distribution,” said Wang Ruzhu, lead scientist of the ITEWA team and a 2023 Global Energy Prize laureate.
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One of AtmosWell’s products is a solar-powered outdoor water station roughly the size of a small bus stop. It requires no external infrastructure and can operate between 15°C and 40°C and 35 to 99 percent humidity, producing up to 50 litres of drinking water per day.
The company also offers a 1,600-litre-per-day engineering-grade platform aimed at remote hotels, small communities and emergency relief operations. Smaller “water bar” units for offices and homes provide plug-and-play daily drinking water, Wang noted.
According to Zhao Yixin, director of the high-technology department at the Science and Technology Commission of Shanghai Municipality, such systems could strengthen water resilience in remote areas, while supporting advances in energy-saving and environmental-protection industries.
