Sky Wtr a sustainable canned water product made from air and sunlight, will soon be available for purchase in the United States. This innovative solution is the brainchild of Source, a Scottsdale, Arizona-based company. Set to hit the shelves later this year, Sky Wtr aims to showcase the capabilities of solar-powered “hydropanels” that provide an off-grid method of producing drinking water.
“Basically, we are distilling the air, so you get pure, distilled water as a result,” explained Source. The company’s journey began a decade ago with researchers at Arizona State University who developed the hydropanel technology. These panels, resembling solar panels, produce clean water instead of electricity. By harnessing sunlight, the panels draw water vapor from the air, which is absorbed by a hygroscopic material.
Using solar power, the system then releases this moisture in a concentrated air stream, enabling passive condensation of water inside the panel. Each panel can produce up to 3 liters of drinking water daily, even in arid conditions like Arizona, sufficient to meet an individual’s daily needs. The water produced is highly pure, mineralized, and ozonated to ensure safety.
Launched in 2014 as Zero Mass Water, Source has hydropanels installed in 56 countries worldwide. These panels can be set up as ground arrays or rooftop installations, linked into a building’s drinking water pipes. Each hydropanel costs $3,000, making governments and development banks the primary customers, aiming to provide drinking water to remote or water-scarce communities.
In Florida, Source operates a “water farm” that produces 3,000 liters of water daily using its panel array. The company plans to sell this water under the brand Sky Wtr across major US retailers starting in August or September 2024. The water will be sold in recyclable aluminum cans and bottles.
The goal of introducing Sky Wtr is not just to compete in the bottled water market but to raise awareness about hydropanel technology and promote sustainable water sourcing. Although the high cost of hydropanels currently limits widespread adoption, Source is confident that prices will decrease significantly soon, making sustainable, self-produced water economically viable.
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