Energy Update: Wind Power Technology Breakthrough Produces Byproduct – Water

Eole Water S.A.S. is a French company that has developed a wind turbine able to collect water as a byproduct. The product, the WMS1000, achieves this using an airborne condenser within the wind turbine that can produce up to 1,000 liters of safe drinking water daily. The condenser is made of stainless steel alloy. The wind turbine generates 30 kilowatts of power in winds of at least seven meters per second (15 miles per hour).

The WMS1000 is designed to operate with minimal maintenance and should be capable of dealing with severe weather conditions. It is rated to withstand wind speeds of 180 kilometers (120 miles) per hour.

The system has been undergoing tests since October 2011 in Abu Dhabi with completion of its installation expected by June 2012. The current unit ground-level tests have been collecting as much as 800 liters of water per day in desert conditions with 15-20% humidity. When mounted to its tower the WMS1000 is expected to produce levels well over 1,000 litres (264 gallons) a day.

In the deserts of the Middle East, this technology when deployed in large numbers, should help to overcome water shortages.The Middle East isn’t the only place experiencing an acute water crisis. North Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa, parts of Central and South America, Australia and many areas in Asia are water stressed.