The problem:
The world is thirsty.
The Ogallala Aquifer could run dry in just over 50 – 60 years.
The Colorado River has shrunk by 20% in the past century.
Farmers in Texas are digging up their citrus trees because there’s no rain.
In Spain in 2023 olive tree yields were cut in half due to drought. The year before the Catholic Church resumed praying for rain.
In 2015 in just three states, Washington, Oregon, and Idaho, a drought caused $1 billion in losses.
The cradle of civilization, Iraq, Iran, and Syria, is drying up. It has displaced tens of thousands. Millions are in hunger.
Traditional water sources can no longer be relied upon. Water scarcity ––driven by climate change –– is causing human migration, crop failures, and livestock death. 1 in 9 people in the world suffer from water scarcity. Crops simply cannot grow.
The Question:
In the early Fall of 2022, a farmer approached the University of MN- Duluth’s (UMD) engineering school with a question: Can you pull water from the air using the power of a 12-volt battery? Why a 12 volt battery? They are simple, durable, portable, and ubiquitous.
To answer that question, UMD’s engineering school provided three mechanical and two electrical engineers, all as part of the senior design program. That relationship between H20 Now and UMD continues to this day.
The Solution.
- We are building custom-designed devices powered by DC compressors and using the refrigeration cycle to create water from the air.
- Every device we’re currently prototyping has an internal pump designed to provide agricultural water for plants, animals, and sanitation.
- Two factories are building prototypes for this project.
The Team.
H20 Now works with three engineering schools in two states: The University of Minnesota Duluth, the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, and the University of Texas-Austin. In addition, there are now two full-time engineers working on the project.
The Future.
We are working on devices with various sizes and voltages to address diverse needs. We are also exploring producing potable water.