Making it Rain & Rain – Water-from-Air

Imagine if we could make it rain & rain, wherever & whenever we wanted – even in harsh & rural Africa. Quite surprisingly, our atmosphere already contains larger-than-rivers reserves, being 100% renewable reserves, unlike water wells.

Water-from-Air – condensing atmospheric waters – does grant 100% universal coverage, being the only water source to benefit developing nations first-hand. Only us can provide summer-time highs, while not even requiring drilling & heavy machinery.

Only Water-from-Air counts with the reserves needed to lift entire countries & areas out of water stress & persistent droughts. Thanks to Water-from-Air, many water scarce countries are instead blessed with year-round highs.

Water-from-Air tech having remained off-limits to most due to very high prices. Instead, we bring forth nature´s intended solution in Water-from-Air, using ice & chilled-waters, offering entry-level systems & entry-level prices for the first time. This last year, we´ve also been able to adopt Peltier tech.

Worldwide, water scarcity still remains as one the largest unsolvable issues of our time, neither water wells alone nor desalination having been enough, beyond our rivers & dams. We trust Water-from-Air´s larger-than-rivers reserves & 100% universal coverage will help us achieve true water security worldwide, along with all other water sources.

Water scarcity still affects every continent in the world, sporadically to some while chronically to very many unfortunately. While developed nations have been able to build large reserves as dams, most developing nations haven’t had the financial resources to do so, even counting with much fewer natural resources.

Under the Sustainable Development Goals 6, we´re still counting with over 2 billion people without clean & safe waters at home. Quite unfortunately, waterborne diseases still claim over 3 million lives year after year, affecting our infants & youth the most. Water-from-Air can be the best solution in over 90% of those cases, reaching everywhere & anywhere within Africa for example.

Agriculture alone also claims over 70% of all our waters worldwide, some developing nations even reaching 90%-95%. Agriculture itself being key to developing nations on GDP & jobs, while irrigation fields can increase productivity & profitability 6-fold. 

Historically, Water-from-Air was unsuccessfully attempted over the 1900s & 1930s, even building large massive structures. Condensation being finally discovered thanks to the age of refrigeration – but not in the natural & affordable way with ice & chilled-waters. Dehumidifiers & Atmospheric Water Generators being first commercialized in the ´60s & ´90s, respectively.

Today´s Atmospheric Water Generators – sharing their technology with ACs & refrigerators - are truly state-of-the-art appliances, being 100% automatic systems only. These systems even count with a 6-stage filtration system, UV light for disinfection, and hot & cold-water dispenser too. Unfortunately, as the underlying technology is quite costly, these systems have suffered from remarkably high prices, high energy requirements, and disappointing sales levels in return.

Further, newer desiccant-based systems, being passive systems instead, having feared even worse commercially, just accounting for 5%-10% market share only. Desiccant-based systems are even costlier & harvest much fewer waters too.

Whereas today’s systems can only provide 100% automatic solutions, we’re first at introducing 100% manual systems & semi-automatic systems with ice & chilled-waters – the semi-automatic systems carrying the lowest electricity costs of all. We´re also able to offer 100% automatic systems with affordable Peltier tech, just like today´s systems.

Above all, Water-from-Air does grant 100% universal coverage & 100% rural coverage, being available in all countries & continents, while fully reaching inland too. Water-from-Air´s year-round highs being equator-based, hence benefiting developing nations directly, and stretching to 30º north & south.

Hence, as a water source, we´re bound to help the ones who need it most, providing highs in over 20% of Africa year-round, benefiting the drier & needier “souths”. Where Water-from-Air is able to work day & night year-round, we can provide over 50% of all sources, where´s most needed – we can easily provide over 20% where winters set in, as in Spain & US.

Agriculture itself being responsible for depleting both our rivers & aquifers, will certainly become our stellar market now that Water-from-Air tech is finally more than affordable enough. There being no drilling & heavy machinery required, while counting with 100% renewable reserves larger-than-rivers. 

Our next largest markets being rural towns & small cities, and for home personal use. Rural towns usually suffer from lack of rural coverage & summer-time restrictions, and Water-from-Air grants both. For home use, we´re the first ones to make it easy & affordable enough, no more walking-for-waters thanks to Water-from-Air. 

As touched upon, Water-from-Air does grant 100% universal coverage & 100% rural coverage too, being the only water source to benefit developing nations first-hand. Rainfed agriculture being inhumane after all, while irrigation fields can increase productivity & profits 6-fold.

We do count with virtually unlimited reserves to help quench agriculture´s thirst, our reserves truly being 100% renewable reserves, unlike water wells. We do reach everywhere & anywhere within Africa, in India and Indonesia.

We do trust Water-from-Air to become much more helpful & resourceful than water wells have been historically – Water-from-Air requiring no drilling & heavy machinery at all.

Our direct competitors are Atmospheric Water Generators, and their desiccant-based counterparts. Our indirect competitors are water wells & aquifers, rivers & dams, and sea waters & desalination – though all water sources complement each other.

Worldwide, there are just over 70 manufacturers of Atmospheric Water Generators, just 3 in Spain only – still being an emerging industry suffering from low visibility & disappointing sales levels. The vast majority of manufacturers use cooling condensation, just like us, while the rest uses desiccants, only accounting for 5%-10 market share.

Quite simply, today’s Atmospheric Water Generators have suffered mainly from very high pricing across the board. As large commercial units quickly reach hundreds of thousands, agriculture & developing nations haven´t been able to afford such solutions. Desiccant-based systems have been the great promise, but it´s even costlier & underperforms too.

Given our much lower costs & ease of use, we´re also able to reach 3-4 times higher than today, easily reaching over 20-40 feet versus 9 feet today, and much more on our upcoming second round of pilots. We´re also the first ones to use affordable wood & plastic as the default materials, instead of 100% metal today, relying upon glass as our high-end material.

SkyWater from Florida having won the prestigious XPrize Water Abundance challenge of $1.75 million, representing Atmospheric Water Generators. Zero Mass Water from Arizona having won the also prestigious Lemelson-MIT prize of $500.000, representing desiccant-based systems. 

Our project started in 2016 as The Discovery of Ice being Atmospheric, having revealed that ice is naturally atmospheric itself & 4 different types of atmospheric fountains possible, only 2 holding great commercial potential. In this last year, we´ve also been able to adopt Peltier tech, not yet available by any manufacturer either, as Peltiers allows for 100% automatic systems unlike ice & chilled-waters.

Quite unfortunately, the still-unknown Ice Fountains not being commercially viable solutions, as it would require very large ice, block ice, for no added benefit & much increased costs. On the other hand, when ice is shielded in place inside a cooler, and when used to chill waters, it is able to condense for well over 24 hours straight, carrying the lowest electricity costs of all.

Peltier modules are extremely affordable components, just costing a few dollars in all, while easily capable of achieving -20.0º & -40.0º and much more when water-cooled. Peltier tech is perfectly suited for chilling waters down to 0.0º, while not expected to last 10 years working as today´s compressors. Peltier modules are most commonly being used today in portable coolers & wine chillers.   

High-powered, high-CFM fans are also much of the essence of Water-from-Air, even though it´s not visible right on the video itself. High-powered fans can easily double & triple the amounts of water harvested, while even more powerful fans can increase the harvest 5-10-fold. Today´s systems all come default with fans, same for us commercially, optional in homes.  

We first received an initial 29-page report back in early 2016 titled, Ice Fountains: Preliminary Scientific & Technical Review, confirming that, “no other individual or organization appears to be working on Ice Fountain systems for obtaining drinking waters from the air”. Now, 3 years later, I´ve also been able to confirm it myself.

On the technology side, we rely upon ice makers & water-chillers. Ice-makers are virtually known to everyone as part of their refrigerator, the technology itself being very well known, chest freezers being readily available commercially. On the other hand, water-chillers are lesser known, today being used mainly in aquaponics & aquariums.

Unfortunately, cooling equipment does carry the largest price tags on the industry, and freezers & water-chillers are no exception. Starting on the $300s range, while commercial units reach $1.000 & much more. Hence, we´ve also found ways to duplicate the equipment but at much lower prices. 

We have already successfully  duplicated the water-chillers with affordable Styrofoam boxes filled with ice, as well as with Peltier tech. We´re also finalizing the chest freezers needed with affordable Arduino & Peltier versions.       

Savia Atmospheric provides Water-from-Air systems capable of condensing atmospheric waters right from thin air. Water-from-Air tech has remained remarkably expensive, only offering 100% automatic systems.

We´re now offering entry-level systems with ice & chilled-waters, being manual & semi-automatic systems, as well as affordable 100% automatic systems with Peltier tech. 

Water-from-Air systems are a direct alternative to common water wells, requiring no drilling & heavy machinery whatsoever, counting with 100% renewable reserves larger-than-rivers.

Our immediate goals are to finalize the first-round of pilots reaching to 20-40 feet of working height, today´s systems at just 9 feet only given their much higher costs. We expect to enter the market commercially then, offering 3 sizes to choose from. 

Water-from-Air itself will be key to achieve true water security worldwide, especially as we´re the only water source to benefit developing nations directly, the only water source to provide summer-time highs.

It´s been estimated that irrigation fields increase yields, productivity and profits 6-fold over rainfed agriculture – being solely dependent on the rain being inhumane & counterproductive after all. Water-from-Air also allows to condense right at home & village, finally no more walking-for-waters every day for hundreds of millions of people.

Thanks to Water-from-Air, many drought-stricken countries such as Ghana, Nigeria, and Kenya are instead water-rich year-round, as the high are equator-based. Only Water-from-Air has the ample reserves needed to lift entire countries out of water stress & persistent drought, and onto profitable agricultural production instead.      

Both our CTO & myself have also agreed to treat it patent-free, as the original Atmospheric Water Generators patents are well expired by now, there being no real reason to want to patent earlier & simpler technologies. The same goes for our Peltier-based systems. 

Unfortunately, we have yet to enter the market & make sales, as we´re now looking to complete our first round of pilots to 20-40 feet of height. Yet, we can share our present & future estimates.

We´re currently counting on 2 waves of pilots to fully advance & evolve these brand-new systems. We trust our solutions to 40 feet of height to meet well over 90% of the demand, and 100% of the demand through our upcoming second round of pilots.  

We´ll be introducing 3 sizes now to suit everyone´s needs.  Our Home Fountains 3 feet tall will condense 5-40 liters/day, with & without fans. Our Agriculture Fountains 20 feet tall will harvest from hundreds of liters to 5 tons/day. And culminating with our sky-high 40 feet tall City Fountains, these will harvest from 5-40 tons/day.

Currently, Water-from-Air remains virtually unknown, affecting us directly. Hence, we´re currently estimating modest growth at first, being followed by more exponential growth after some market maturity. We´re currently estimating sales for the first year at $350.000-$450.000, selling the equivalent of thousands to tens of thousands of fountains. We have based our sales estimate on the latest entrants into the industry.

For the second year, we´ll expect to grow modestly into the $500.000-$600.000 range, as we complete our second round of pilots – then reaching many tens of thousands. For the third year onward, we´ll expect to grow more exponentially, then surely reaching with hundreds of thousands of fountains & over $1-2 million on sales.

Our current & most immediate goals are to finalize the ongoing first round of pilots, then entering the market commercially, offering 3 sizes to choose from to 40 feet of height. A year after market entry & sales, we plan to complete the second round of pilots reaching much higher. Lastly, international expansion will also become a first priority soon enough, given Water-from-Air´s true worldwide applicability.  

Currently, the ice-based systems are over 90% ready-to-go, while the Peltier-based systems are over 80% ready-to-go – we trust that by this summer´s end, both will be over 95% ready-to-go. Our working prototypes are already reaching over 1 meter of working height, having been able to duplicate the fountains with Peltier tech in just a few months.

To reach developing nations first-hand, we´re currently counting on finding internationally-acting sponsors, such as Creating Hope in Conflict & USAID DIV, to help us build the solutions locally with local materials, offering them locally in their local currency.  

In our project´s case, financial limitations are bound to have the greatest impact on our Water-from-Air project. From thoroughly finalizing the first round of pilots, to the marketing budget needed to enter the market via crowdfunding. Lack of proper finances will slow down the project, while certainly affecting its final quality too. We don´t expect our finances to be a problem past the first few years.

Technically, thankfully, we have already passed all the early testing & prototyping phases, by now resting fully assured of our condensing capabilities. Yet, as we´re dealing with brand-new technologies & much-increased height, minor issues and/or delays may surface. Yet, we don´t expect any major and/or impeding issues at all through the pilots.

From the industry´s point of view, Water-from-Air remains virtually unknow, unlike its cousins desalination & water wells, having achieved less than 1% market penetration in these last decades. Undoubtedly, this will have an effect on our sales directly, affecting us both on the sort-term & long-term.  

Regarding the financial barriers, our Water-from-Air project doesn´t need much financing either. Your average seed investment being more than enough to complete the first round of pilots & enter the market via crowdfunding.

Regarding technology, again, we have already tested everything in depth already, not expecting any major issues to appear at all.

Regarding early adoption & sales forecast, it will take many, many years for Water-from-Air to become as popular & well known as the other water sources. Yet, as the demand keeps increasing while all other water sources keep dwindling, and as we don´t require drilling either, we trust to break the ice within the first 3-5 years – there being no other real solution either.  

Currently, we´re 3 people involved - 2 masters & 1 PhD. I´m the only one dedicated full-time for years now, while Roland is part-time dedicated, and Frank acts as an advisor part-time.

The Canadian Roland Wahlgren from Atmoswater Research, is the leading worldwide Water-from-Air consultant since 1984, being personally author of the book, Water-from-Air: Quick Guide. Roland maintains the industry´s largest knowledge base, being frequently quoted on the industry´s leading articles. Roland has been our technical consultant since 2016, now acting as co-founder & CTO – bringing a wealth of information & skills.

We´re also advised by Frank van Steenbergen, owner of MetaMeta Research from the Netherlands – as we both shared the same Global Resilience Partnership accelerator. MetaMeta Research has worked on projects on water governance, irrigation, food security and frontier development for the likes of USAID, The World Bank, FAO, UNESCO, UNDP, and DFID to name the most relevant. MetaMeta Research also holds various other offices across developing nations - having also organized a Masterclass on Fog Harvesting with The Weather Channel last year.

I was personally fortunate enough to study & work in the states, having received both my BBA & MBA from the University of Miami, Florida – being from Seville, Spain. I worked as Marketing Analyst at first, and as Project Manager for SPSS after my MBA, building extensive Data Warehouses & Executive Information Systems.

I´ve also been fortunate enough to keep developing this Water-from-Air project full-time since 2016. I´ve run all tests, prototypes, and shoot all video, being technically self-sufficient. Currently, Roland holds all the relevant information on today´s Atmospheric Water Generators, while I hold all the know-how on the new ice-based systems & Peltier-based systems.  

We´ve jointly applied to a few grant calls with MetaMeta Research, though we have yet to work physically together on any of them.

Our business model is the traditional–retail model, as most items are sold today, whereby the customer must pay the full price upfront to obtain full ownership. Further, with our ice-based systems, the condensers may be purchased alone, at just 20% of costs, sourcing the ice locally every few days instead. We´ll also rent our systems to help in the industry´s early adoption. 

We make money from the sale of complete systems, from the sale of condenser-only systems, from the sale of cooling equipment, and also from rental fees. We´ve also made it our case not to add any additional recurring costs, being a one-time purchase only. We expect our sales levels to grow considerably after our upcoming second round of pilots. 

Our value proposition is to provide true water security worldwide, granting 100% universal coverage & 100% rural coverage – fully available in every inland African town, as in every Indonesian island. Only Water-from-Air benefits developing nations first-hand, only us can provide summer-time highs, when most needed. 

For agriculture, we do count with larger-than-rivers reserves, our reserves being 100% renewable unlike water wells. There being no drilling & heavy machinery required, and no upper limit either. For towns & small cities, they mainly suffer from lack of rural coverage & summer-time restrictions – and we grant both in Water-from-Air. Lastly, for home use, there need not be any more walking-for-waters for hours every day, condensing right at home clean & safe waters now.

We´re certain this MIT Solve grant opportunity would be key & instrumental in securing the launch of our Water-from-Air project worldwide. There´s no other water source left but those beautiful clouds up in the sky, and with your help, we can literally make it rain & rain, every day, in every single inland African village – just as in every Caribbean island too.

Water-from-Air is in itself the silver solution across many parts of the world all by itself, while in many other cases, water wells may still be best, but water wells require drilling for starters.  Only Water-from-Air benefits developing nations first-hand – only Water-from-Air provides summer-time highs through the long & unforgiving summers.

As we´re now about to graduate from our fourth accelerator, we trust the addition of MIT Solve to our family will help us further consolidate our project, helping us finally launch onto the market commercially. With your financial contribution, we´ll be able to thoroughly pilot the larger sizes physically, as it´s still brand-new technologies at use.

Every single accelerator we´ve participated in has been a lifetime experience all on its own, while Solve´s financial contribution alone is more than generous itself. Prior accelerators have done from all paid trips & expenses to all 16 teams to London for a week, to renting out the Bilbao soccer stadium for our presentations, we´re sure the MIT Solve experience will also be much appreciated, useful and well remembered too.

As we´re now approaching market entry & sales, being fully confident on our solution´s capacities & positioning within the market, we´re mainly looking for help on the financial & sales, and as board members as well.

Water security, food security, and developing nations are the main highlights of our project towards potential board members. For finances & sales, we´re currently counting on crowdfunding via Kickstarter, so expertise on the realm would be appreciated. Further experience on the water sector would also be much appreciated. 

We´re a regular follower of the MIT Abdul Latif Jameel Water and Food Systems Lab newsletter, with interesting news on the water industry, MIT related programs, as well as general grant opportunities across water & food security. It would certainly be a pleasure to meet them, as we´re both basically working towards the same goals with the same tools too.

I´ve also read about other MIT prize competitions on water & food security, as well as other clubs on the same issues. Again, it would be a great opportunity to meet like-minded people all from MIT.

Currently, the water industry´s main players may go as far as desalination, though none of them are involved in Water-from-Air projects, just as with water wells either. Yet, many of them are actively involved as accelerators & investors, ready to help & invest upon other water-based projects. 

Hence, while there´s no clear organization that could help out directly, the main water players, such as SUEZ, Acciona, and Nestle, will tend to be the most receptive towards our Water-from-Air project.        

Water access & water security also becomes one of the largest problems in refugee camps, especially when their host country is also water scarce for starters, and especially when they´re living in a rural setting without any infrastructure available either.

Refugee camps also involve very large concentrations of people, and all of them have one thing in common, they do need waters to survive, to cook, and to clean. Lastly, refugee camps may also be affected by extreme weather & very hot temperatures.

For example, most of the largest refugee camps worldwide have been hosted in dry & inhospitable African soil, most in Kenya in fact, where water access is a luxury for starters. Instead, Water-from-Air will give its year-round highs across the largest refugee camps in Kenya, Ethiopia, Tanzania, Uganda, South Sudan and Bangladesh too.

In the refugee camps of Jordan & Pakistan our production will be much more limited, but if there´s no other water source available, it´ll still work to some degree, every day. Water-from-Air´s other greatest advantage being not requiring drilling & heavy machinery, unlike water wells.     

We would split the prize funds, using more than half to donate Water-from-Air fountains to needy refugee camps, including in Kenya. We would also use the opportunity to finalize our ongoing first round of pilots on-site in Kenya, gaining a much valuable experience too. The rest of the funds would be used for the company´s purpose, mainly to launch the Kickstarter campaign across developed nations. 

Water-from-Air does grant 100% universal coverage & 100% rural coverage, reaching all countries & continents, while fully reaching inland too. As a water source, only Water-from-Air does benefit developing nations first-hand, as the year-round highs are equator-based, stretching to 30º north & south.

Dams & desalination are very large projects requiring years just on constructions, while quickly reaching hundreds of millions & even billions – being more suitable to developed nations. Water wells & aquifers are already saturated & over-exploited, having already depleted alarmingly, requiring drilling for starters. Water-from-Air does stand as our last source of 100% virgin waters, having true worldwide applicability & unlimited reserves too.  

Water stress & water scarcity still affects all continents, sporadically to some, while chronically to over 2 billion people quite unfortunately. Agriculture alone being also responsible for withdrawing over 70% of all our waters, having to rely upon water wells & unfruitful rainfed agriculture. Water-from-Air does count with 100% renewable reserves capable of quenching agriculture´s thirst, while not even requiring heavy machinery & drilling either.   

Water-from-Air tech has remained remarkably expensive in these last few decades, being 100% automatic solutions only. Small home units being much costlier than full-sized refrigerators, while large commercial units over 20 feet long reach hundreds of thousands.

Instead, we bring forth simple & affordable entry-level systems using ice & chilled-waters, offering now manual & semi-automatic systems - capable of achieving over 2-3-fold savings. We´ve also been able to adopt Peltier technology, not yet in use by any manufacturer either, offering 100% automatic systems just like today´s systems & 1-2-fold savings.

We´re currently counting on 2 waves of pilots to fully advance & evolve these brand-new Water-from-Air systems. Given our much lower costs & ease of use, we´ll be easily reaching to 20-40 feet of working height, today´s systems at just 9 feet, and much more still on our upcoming second round of pilots.

We would use your investment funds to finalize the first round of pilots reaching to 20-40 feet of working height, as well as to prepare & launch the Kickstarter campaign. We´re currently estimating $30.000-$40.000 to finalize the first round of pilots, plus $50.000 for the entire Kickstarter campaign. Another small share of the funds would be used for preparations & staff required, leaving over $50.000 as a safety net.