GENNY, the Israeli home appliance that makes water out of thin air, was named the Energy Efficiency Product of the Year.
The device taps into atmospheric water using patented heat-exchange technology, producing 30 liters of potable water for a home or office every day – reducing waste from people using bottled water.
First, Watergen’s blower draws air into the atmospheric water generator where an internal filter cleans the air.
Then it passes through a heat exchange and cooling process that condenses air into water.
The water is filtered again and minerals added, resulting in high-quality drinking water that is superior to filtered city water.
After filtering, the water circulates in a built-in reservoir to preserve freshness.
GENNY can also be an air purifier, with a small tweak in the water generation process, creating a multipurpose product.
“We want to eliminate the need to rely on outside sources for life necessities and to help people become more environmentally friendly,” - Dan Clifford, president of Watergen North America.
Here's a link to the page selling the home size watergens, but it just says to contact them for more information, no price listed.
I found it at www.watergenusa.com. There was no price and the one they were advertising seemed aimed at offices. .02-.04 cents per liter to operate.
Maybe they'll be on the market for a reasonable price by the time I move off-grid...
Dehumidifiers also draw moisture from thin air. It just isn't drinkable and they aren't energy efficient. I have wondered for years why they didn't have a similar machine for capturing drinkable water. Perhaps the technology was more complicated than I realized--or the desire/need was not strong enough.
I do have to wonder: if thousands, even millions, of people are using these, drawing moisture directly from the air; or, if they start making these large enough to service an entire town, will it have a negative effect on the local environment--depriving the air of moisture? Some plants and animals survive on that moisture.
I wonder if it will ever be used on such a large scale, interesting thought though.
I've seen similar technology being used to distill sea water into fresh, so with rising ocean water levels, shouldn't run out of water.
@birdingnut I know some desert areas have desalination plants. I know they are expensive; but they may become absolutely necessary. And, as you said, with rising sea levels, they might not have a negative impact at all, or very little.
Actually there is realy no good reason why the water from an ordinary dehumidifier could not be made drinkable. It is basically the same thing. The only down side to this is that it is using a lot of energy.
@girlwithsmiles The site said they had a unit that would produce 5000 liters a day. Apparently they are sold all over the world.
@dalefvictor yes, I’ve never seen one and like Joanne am interested in the implications of localised mass use. Can you infer what it would be without direct observation? I’m thinking it may create its own mini weather events potentially, (but could still be favourable to fracking- which I know is done far a different reason with a different result, but they are both water related. Another point may be how would fracking gases change the end product of this water?).
This appliance is just exactly what we need in the desert southwest.