Turn the air into fresh water for farming in the desert

By turning air into fresh water, the team successfully grew spinach in the Saudi Arabian desert in June when daytime temperatures hit 55 degrees Celsius.

A team of scientists in Saudi Arabia has invented a system capable of producing electricity and water so that crops can grow in the desert, according to Sputnik News.

Desert region in Saudi Arabia

According to the paper published in the scientific journal Cell Reports Physical Science, the scientists' device uses solar panels (photovoltaic cells) and a unique hydrogel material they have invented.

Hydrogel (water absorbing polymer) is a new type of polymeric chemical material, also known as water absorbent, water retention agent.

Here's how it works: Hydrogels absorb water present in the atmosphere, even in arid regions. Solar energy will heat the hydrogel. With ambient air, when the hydrogel absorbent layer is heated, it produces fresh water that can be used to water plants.

The team says they planted spinach in the Saudi Arabian desert in June when daytime temperatures reached 55 degrees Celsius. 57 of the 60 spinach seeds planted grew to 18cm.

The researchers called their brainchild WEC2P, which stands for "Water - Electricity - Crop Co-production System".

According to the World Resources Institute, a "water-electricity-crop cogeneration system" not only helps to solve the problem of water scarcity - which affects 400 million people in sub-Saharan Africa - but also improve water security and the environment.

"Part of the world's population still doesn't have access to clean water because they live in rural areas with arid or semi-arid climates. Our design makes the use of clean energy less wasteful and convenient. suitable for small-scale, decentralized farms in remote places like deserts and islands," said Peng Wang, a professor at Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah University of Science and Technology and author main author of the study.

The scientists are working to turn their invention into a marketable product, by modifying the hydrogel so that it absorbs more water from the surrounding air.