Water Footprint Implementation / 11th Hour Racing Team

With the occasion of The Ocean Race stopover in The Hague, the Water Footprint Implementation & 11th Hour Racing Team organized a creative presentation of culture and science at the Museon-Omniversum. Earlier in March this year, at the United Nations 2023 Water Conference in New York, WFI launched the draft methodology for Water Footprint Compensation. Ap Verheggen  (SunGlacier) presented the “embrace your enemy” concept.

 

 

The 11th Hour Racing Boat. From L to R Charlie Enright (skipper), Ap Verheggen, Jack Bouttell (crew)

Ap Verheggen & SunGlacier Team win prestigious “Overhoop” Price

In 2022, Ap Verheggen & Team SunGlacier won the “Overhoop” prize for their innovative and pioneering work in the field of sustainable energy and climate change. Verheggen is best known for his “SunGlacier” project, which uses solar energy to harvest water in the desert. With this project he wants to draw attention to the possibilities of sustainable energy and climate change.

From L-R: Tom Middendorp, René van Ommeren, Peter van Geloven, Hugo de Vries, Ap Verheggen, Petra Reulings, Hessel Waalewijn, Taco Zwaanswijk, Marcel Bril

Music/Videoclip Janieck and Ap: “HERO”

The video single “HERO” is a creative collaboration of the recording artist Janieck with the environmental inventor and sculptor artist Ap Verheggen (founder of the SunGlacier Project). This music video aims to inspire younger generations to think in creative solutions for a world that is being transformed by climate change. The message: “Yes, there can be a positive future for everyone on this planet; it’s a matter of taking action yourself.” “Even an ordinary man can still be a hero”. (fragment of song)

It is certain that everybody on this planet is or will be impacted in some way by climate change. Our message through art, music and environmental invention is that it is more important than ever for the younger generations to take the lead in designing solutions to challenges (like drought and rising temperatures) to their own future. Our younger generations have demonstrated capacities to generate forward-looking, functional ideas, and are able to think without some of the “old-world” constraints that limit their elders.

Videoclip on Youtube, press this link

SunGlacier presented on Expo2020, Dubai

We succeeded to generate the water for this beautiful rain shower in the middle of the desert.The water is harvested “live” by a new and efficient technology that will benefit so many people on the planet. V8 architects designed a completely sustainable pavilion, build with local construction materials that will be returned after the expo, leaving nothing but sand. A physical experience that shows the future of “uniting water, energy and food”. Main goal of the rain shower on the expo is showing people/companies/NGO’s/governments that it is possible to harvest water, off the grid, with the maximum use of sunshine, air and gravity – all free elements, everywhere available. The SunGlacier technology is easy scalable, that we proved in the pavilion. I hope that many people will be inspired by the physical experience of a rain fall in the middle of a desert.

The SunGlacier device wrapped in a 20-foot container on the roof of the Dutch Pavilion at the Expo2020, Dubai

Information about the SunGlacier Technology

A technology that will change the world!

We have designed a new and highly-efficient technology that produces volumes of clean water from the air, almost anywhere in the world. Our drive to accomplish this comes from the starting point that clean water should be accessible to everyone.

Sunshine, gravity and air – are free to everyone. We apply these elements to their maximum potential (together in a unique way) to contribute to the solution of the earth’s main problem: fresh, clean water availability.

Detail of “Growing Waterfall” inside the SunGlacier unit.

How does it work?
We condense water vapor in cold falling water: “the growing waterfall” principle. The volume of the waterdrops grow, as the water falls down. The total volume of the water increases rapidly with this method.

What are the advantages?
– The technology is simple and easy to maintain.
– Each cubic meter of air entering the system is dehumidified to the maximum possible amount.
– This is an energy-friendly method: smaller units are designed to run on solar energy and/or hybrid.
– A key advantage of this system is that no water evaporates during the process.
– This system can be scaled up easily.
– We have greatly expanded the working climate/temperature range of ​​previous conventional dehumidification methods.

Where does this technology work?
The SunGlacier system is already in operation when the dew point temperature exceeds 5 Celsius. And on the top of the Dutch pavilion at the Dubai Expo, we have easily produced water in temperatures higher than 50 Celsius. During the first test runs we succeeded to generate 50 liters/hour. (=1200 liters/day) Even in extremely dry and hot conditions, our system produces large volumes of fresh water.

SunGlacier is located on top of the Dutch pavilion, at Expo2020. The water is used to create a rain shower. Picture: cross section of the pavilion, by v8 architects.

Are other SunGlacier machines already in use?

Yes!

  • Dubai 2020 Expo
    We built a large unit that can harvest hundreds of liters of water per day from the desert air for the Dutch Pavilion in Dubai. The water is used in the pavilion to produce a spectacular rain shower and to grow a variety of plants. The outgoing cold air of the container helps to cool the building.
  • Droppler 20
    We built a small series of mobile units for the Dutch Ministry of Defense which produces an average of 20 liters of water per day. This Droppler 20 series has even managed to extract more than 30 liters of water per day in some locations. These machines are being field tested around the world.
  • SunGlacier Backpack (in development)
    What could be better than traveling with a backpack that independently produces drinking water every day – for decades? This concept is still science fiction but hopefully soon will turn into reality! We have already built the world’s smallest water-from-air device, and are still optimizing the technology.

Delivery of the first Droppler machines at Dutch Defense

What started as the “Art meets Science” project SunGlacier, resulted in the deliverance of the 2 first Droppler machines to the Dutch Ministry of Defense, partner of the DCHI (Dutch Coalition for Humanitarian Innovation). This innovative technology is able to harvest efficiently water from air in almost all parts of the world. CD&E – The department Concept Development and Experimentation helped us in making a dream come true. Thank you for all support to find a real solution for an urgent climate problem: the lack of clean water.

The SunGlacier – water from air – unit inside

 

The SunGlacier water production unit from the inside. The 20 foot container will be installed on top of the Dutch pavilion at the World Expo in Dubai. Test runs in Dutch conditions already proved that this new technology is a break-through in harvesting atmospheric water. The Dutch pavilion at the World Expo shows and experiences the future of this planet by uniting water, energy and food.

 

The first Droppler20 is a reality

From the first design, we have taken into account that our technology must be accessible to as many people as possible. Therefore we always pursued a highly efficient, clean, durable and easy-to-maintain system. This Droppler20 produces up to 30 liters of clean water per day. This lightweight compact device is built into a mobile flight case. It is easy to transport and tough for travel.

We developed this compact machine with multiple power options: a 24 volt connection, so it can be directly connected to a solar energy installation, powered by a battery, or plugged into a power grid. With a cooling capacity from 80 – 620W, this highly intelligent system produces up to 3 liters of water per kWh.

We specially designed and build the “Droppler20” machine for the department Concept Development & Experimentation from The Netherlands Ministry of Defense. The device will be used in various climates around the world.

The concept of SunGlacier Technology

Conventional water de-humidifying technologies did not meet our requirements. They were developed for other applications: to dehumidify a closed space or to cool air. Our emphasis has always been to extract as much as possible water from outside air, as efficiently as possible. After many years of empirical research we succeeded in inventing a new (patented) method of condensation.

During the development of our technology we took the approach that if something works well on a small scale, then it can often be replicated on a larger scale. From the start, we were focused on a portable size off-grid application, powered by solar energy: a new and autonomously working, water source running on renewable energy. With this goal, our aim has been to build a super effective system, harvesting a high volume of water with a low amount of energy.

We succeeded and after many years of testing, the first Droppler20 is a reality.

The function of extracting water from air depends on climate conditions. We have managed to nearly cover the globe with our new technology:  climates with a dew point from 5 Celsius to approximately 50 degrees Celsius outside temperature, 10% to 100% relative humidity.

SunGlacier Technologies builds a 100’s of liters daily rain shower at Dubai WorldExpo

At the Netherlands Pavilion at Expo 2020 in Dubai, designers and artists are shining the spotlight on technological innovation. Not only do they add aesthetic value through the power of their imagination; they also help promote a wider acceptance of new technology, resulting in a more beautiful and better world. A spectacular interior. For 150 years now, world fairs have made an important contribution to the history of architecture. A number of structures erected for a world fair are still standing today, such as the Eiffel Tower and the Atomium. This will not be the case for the Netherlands Pavilion in Dubai, which will be completely dismantled after the Expo is over, leaving a minimal footprint. But its impact will be no less for that. V8 Architects deliberately opted for a neutral exterior and simple construction materials. More info and press release.

An innovation that will change the world: Droppler20

Thursday April 15th we bring this first Droppler20 to the famous “Waalewijn Studios

 

Later we will make important announcements regarding the introduction of that spectacular technology (for the Netherlands Department of Defense). The public will be able to see this portable device that is generating buckets of water per day in world’s most extreme climates. It can run on solar energy, car battery, or by connecting to a power grid. An innovation that will change the world.

99%

99% of the MAX amount of WATER! Yes, we’ve reached up to 99% of the theoretical volume of water that can be extracted from air with our newest technology. This milestone is the result of years of experimentation together with my friend Peter van Geloven on an optimistic concept for humans and our planet. A result from an artist and a technician who both refuse to dream inside of borders. In a few weeks we will present our first real compact and mobile device, producing buckets instead of glasses of fresh and clean water per day.

Spectacular Results at Climate Room Testings

Results flooded our best expectations when we tested the Droppler 20 in the climate room of the Dutch Ministry of Defense last week. We harvested nearly 29 liters (7.7 gallons) of fresh water from the air! Our goal, using the hybrid portable solar-powered 24-volt plug-and-play device was 20 liters per day.

It was also beyond encouraging that in Sub-Sahara conditions (39C/109F – RH 43%), our system produced 21 liters per day. Conventional technology stops working in these temperatures! We then turned up the heat and lowered the relative humidity to 44C/RH 14%, and still produced nearly 6 liters of water!

Who would have thought this was possible? And who bring this green and innovative technology to the market?