Arizona-based startup Zero Mass Water has developed a solar panel that pulls water vapor from the air and converts it into drinking water.
TreeHugger reports that Source panels generate electricity and drive a cycle of condensation and evaporation that produces up to five liters of water per day. Units have a 30-liter reservoir, and water can be plumbed directly to a tap inside the home or business. With a footprint of 2.8 square meters, multiple Source devices can be installed on the roof to meet water needs.
The panels will reportedly sell for $4,800, and require little maintenance.
In recent years, the idea of pulling water vapor from the air and condensing it into drinking water is getting a whole lot more attention, and not just in off-grid areas and in the developing world, but also right here in suburbia and urban areas as well.