Solar-powered bottle turns air into water

 

 

If you happen to be a Fremen cyclist, we won't blame you for being more than a bit excited about this.

 

Good news for bicycle riders: you no longer need to stop at a station to refill your water bottle. Not with this solar-powered bottle.

 

Introducing Fontus, a solar self-filling water bottle that collects moisture in the air, then condenses it and stores it as safe drinking water.

 

"My goal was to create a small, compact and self-sufficient device able to absorb humid air, separate water molecules from air molecules and store water in liquid form in a bottle," its creator, Kristof Retezar, said on the James Dyson Foundation website.

It can harvest up to half a liter of water in one hour, "under the right climatic conditions."


 

The bottle may have a big impact on countries where fresh water is scarce: it can be used to harvest fresh water in areas where ground water is scarce but air humidity is high.

 

Fontus was inspired by United Nations figures showing more than two billion people in more than 40 countries live in regions where water is scarce.

 

By 2030, 47 percent of the world´s population will be living in areas of high water stress.

 

On the other hand, it was pointed out that harvesting water from the air has been practised for more than 2,000 years mostly in Asia and Central America.

 

Fontus can be useful on long bike tours, where the bottle could eliminate the need to look for freshwater sources such as rivers and gas stations. — Joel Locsin/TJD, GMA News