Residential water generators could become as commonplace as solar panels for the homes of the future, according to Benjamin Blumenthal, co-founder and CEO of SunToWater Technologies.
The Carrollton-based company has developed a device that harnesses moisture in the air and converts it to pure drinking water. For more information on how it works, click here, for our previous look at the company.
The generator, which looks like an air-conditioning unit, can produce enough water to take a home off the grid. It can also be solar powered, adding to the sustainability.
SunToWater plans to start manufacturing residential and commercial generators within a year and get them into production in 2018, Blumenthal said. They’ve got strong interest from customers in Texas, California, Colorado, Oklahoma and Arizona.
“With our technology, they can actually make the product locally and cut down on the logistics, and gasoline that it takes to make it.”
Benjamin Blumenthal
Europe, the Middle East and Latin America have also shown interest.
Bigger things could be on the horizon.
Blumenthal said they are in negotiations with one of the largest beverage manufacturers in the country to provide a commercial-sized water generator at a remote plant in the desert. The self-sufficient generator would provide all the water needed to make bottled water and soft drinks. He couldn’t say who that beverage maker is, yet.
“There’s no availability of water in that region,” he said. “With our technology, they can actually make the product locally and cut down on the logistics, and gasoline that it takes to make it.”
This technology is still new, and Blumenthal said not enough people understand the implications of self-sufficient water production. It could be a game-changer for drought-stricken areas or towns that have water contamination issues.
“The world has never seen anything like this,” Blumenthal said. “Once we have big installations up and running, there will be a tipping point and it will become normal for all new homes. We will simply be a part of that menu of what you select.”
Part of that paradigm shift will be to get states to offer tax credits similar to what was offered for solar panels, Blumenthal said.
More Reading:
Carrollton Startup’s Device Harvests Clean Water From Thin Air
Benjamin Blumenthal [Photo: Hannah Ridings]
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