The Sahara could become one enormous oasis as scientists work on a new device to gather water – from desert air.
Throughout history, wars have been fought over land, money and beliefs. Yet as the the world’s population outstrips the supply of drinkable water, a new threat may be on the horizon.
Water conflicts across the globe are already taking shape. Residents in north-western Tunisia threatened to cut off the supply of water to the capital, Tunis, last year to protest against economic hardships and continuous water cuts they suffered.
Clashes over the access to water earlier this year between farmers and herders in South Sudan’s Darfur resulted in 70 deaths, according to the UN.
And that is aside from the loss of water due to wars such as the ongoing conflict in Yemen. The Yemeni interior ministry said in 2015 that up to 4,000 people die annually from water-related violence that includes raids on wells and other battles over access involving armed groups. The UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization estimates that about 20 million Yemenis do not have access to drinking water because of the ongoing civil war.
Worldwide, one in 10 people lack access to clean water and researchers are studying ways to increase clean supply as access dwindles amid population expansion. Global water demand is projected to increase by 55 per cent with more than 40 per cent of the world population expected to live in areas of severe water stress by 2050, according to Unesco.
More people will result in a greater need for food, meaning more water will be necessary for increased agriculture. This has led scientists at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), supported by Saudi Arabia’s Abdul Latif Jameel, to create a device that can extract water from the air.
And the best part: the drier the climate, the better.
MIT’s associate professors Mircea Dinca (chemistry) and Evelyn Wang (mechanical engineering) have developed a solar device that can be used to harvest water in the most arid areas of the globe, including the Mena region.
“The opportunity is to utilise the materials at low humidity ranges, below 30 per cent, which correlate best with places that are pretty arid such as North Africa and parts of China,” says Ms Wang. “This kind of technology could be exciting because of the opportunities it could provide.”
The device involves just three components: a special material; absorbing surface; and a condenser.
Moisture from air, no matter what the humidity levels, attaches to the sponge-like material, which is made from metallic iron found in minerals and other organic matter. The sponge is placed between a black painted surface to collect heat while the bottom remains the same temperature as outside air. Water is released in the form of vapour, which is turned into liquid by the variance in temperature from the top and bottom layers.
Currently the team has only created a device that produces water in grams, but they are looking to scale up quantities to create a prototype.
The cost for the materials is as low as US$20 per kilogram. “And if you count the fan, condenser and other items - that doesn’t end up being a huge cost of the overall device,” Mr Dinca says.
“The key is having enough sunlight and a reasonable humidity range.”
The device works better in areas with humidity levels below 30 per cent, and the amount of material is important. Ms Wang says that 4 litres of water could be produced per kilogram of material a day. There could be up to 10 cycles a day.
“The lower the humidity in which you operate, the more attractive this becomes - and the efficiency of this technology actually increases with lower humidity,” Mr Dinca says.
The contraption may not be best suited for the higher humidity in the UAE, but there are other systems in existence such as fog collectors – or extracting potable water from clouds at ground level.
But for arid places like the Mena region, the scale up of this device could be beneficial. The researchers are looking to grow their experiment up to the kilogram size over the next couple of years.
The Abdul Latif Jameel World Water and Food Security Lab initiative has been promoting water-related research since 2014 to help communities battle dwindling water and more demand.
“With our partnership, MIT is providing an opportunity to tackle some of the most pressing issues related to food and water safety and security in the Middle East and around the world,” says Fady Mohammed Jameel, the president of Community Jameel International.
In Mena – the world’s driest region – more than half of the population lives under conditions of water stress, where demand is more than the supply.
And if the new initiative can be replicated on a mass scale, the Sahara could meet the water needs for many thousands of people.
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 261hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 405Nm at 1,750-3,500rpm
Transmission: 9-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 6.9L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh117,059
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Other ways to buy used products in the UAE
UAE insurance firm Al Wathba National Insurance Company (AWNIC) last year launched an e-commerce website with a facility enabling users to buy car wrecks.
Bidders and potential buyers register on the online salvage car auction portal to view vehicles, review condition reports, or arrange physical surveys, and then start bidding for motors they plan to restore or harvest for parts.
Physical salvage car auctions are a common method for insurers around the world to move on heavily damaged vehicles, but AWNIC is one of the few UAE insurers to offer such services online.
For cars and less sizeable items such as bicycles and furniture, Dubizzle is arguably the best-known marketplace for pre-loved.
Founded in 2005, in recent years it has been joined by a plethora of Facebook community pages for shifting used goods, including Abu Dhabi Marketplace, Flea Market UAE and Arabian Ranches Souq Market while sites such as The Luxury Closet and Riot deal largely in second-hand fashion.
At the high-end of the pre-used spectrum, resellers such as Timepiece360.ae, WatchBox Middle East and Watches Market Dubai deal in authenticated second-hand luxury timepieces from brands such as Rolex, Hublot and Tag Heuer, with a warranty.
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Safety 'top priority' for rival hyperloop company
The chief operating officer of Hyperloop Transportation Technologies, Andres de Leon, said his company's hyperloop technology is “ready” and safe.
He said the company prioritised safety throughout its development and, last year, Munich Re, one of the world's largest reinsurance companies, announced it was ready to insure their technology.
“Our levitation, propulsion, and vacuum technology have all been developed [...] over several decades and have been deployed and tested at full scale,” he said in a statement to The National.
“Only once the system has been certified and approved will it move people,” he said.
HyperloopTT has begun designing and engineering processes for its Abu Dhabi projects and hopes to break ground soon.
With no delivery date yet announced, Mr de Leon said timelines had to be considered carefully, as government approval, permits, and regulations could create necessary delays.
The Sand Castle
Director: Matty Brown
Stars: Nadine Labaki, Ziad Bakri, Zain Al Rafeea, Riman Al Rafeea
Rating: 2.5/5
The biog
Favourite Quote: “Real victories are those that protect human life, not those that result from its destruction emerge from its ashes,” by The late king Hussain of Jordan.
Favourite Hobby: Writing and cooking
Favourite Book: The Prophet by Gibran Khalil Gibran
Lexus LX700h specs
Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor
Power: 464hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 790Nm from 2,000-3,600rpm
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 11.7L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh590,000
Company%20profile
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When the W Dubai – The Palm hotel opens at the end of this year, one of the highlights will be Massimo Bottura’s new restaurant, Torno Subito, which promises “to take guests on a journey back to 1960s Italy”. It is the three Michelinstarred chef’s first venture in Dubai and should be every bit as ambitious as you would expect from the man whose restaurant in Italy, Osteria Francescana, was crowned number one in this year’s list of the World’s 50 Best Restaurants.
Akira Back Dubai
Another exciting opening at the W Dubai – The Palm hotel is South Korean chef Akira Back’s new restaurant, which will continue to showcase some of the finest Asian food in the world. Back, whose Seoul restaurant, Dosa, won a Michelin star last year, describes his menu as, “an innovative Japanese cuisine prepared with a Korean accent”.
Dinner by Heston Blumenthal
The highly experimental chef, whose dishes are as much about spectacle as taste, opens his first restaurant in Dubai next year. Housed at The Royal Atlantis Resort & Residences, Dinner by Heston Blumenthal will feature contemporary twists on recipes that date back to the 1300s, including goats’ milk cheesecake. Always remember with a Blumenthal dish: nothing is quite as it seems.
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COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
Started: 2021
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
Based: Tunisia
Sector: Water technology
Number of staff: 22
Investment raised: $4 million
The%20specs
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The specs: 2018 Opel Mokka X
Price, as tested: Dh84,000
Engine: 1.4L, four-cylinder turbo
Transmission: Six-speed auto
Power: 142hp at 4,900rpm
Torque: 200Nm at 1,850rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L / 100km
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