SOURCE Zero Mass Water : The Solar Technology for Water

Production

Technology Trend

Author :

30000318410006 Jaka Septiadi

30000318410013 Yusuf Wisnu Mandaya
30000318410015 Moh. Ali Fikri
30000318410019 Ahmad Fatoni

INFORMATION SYSTEMS MASTER’S PROGRAM

POSTGRADUATE SCHOOL
DIPONEGORO UNIVERSITY
2018

1. Background
 Water scarcity is becoming increasingly prevalent as the global population expands.
According to Mekonnen and Hoekstra (2016) says two-thirds of the global population,
arround 4.0 billion people, live under conditions of water scarcity at least 1 month of the
year and half a billion people in the world face severe water scarcity all year round.
Nearly half of those people live in India and China. Guanghua Xu (2016) says that on
average about 28.3% of the water in the seven main rivers in China is polluted, 59.6%
of the ground water are ranked as bad or very bad. Not only in China, United Stated,
France, India and Jordan, also had the same problem about water crisis.

Figure 1 Global physical and economic water scarcity (source: The United Nations World Water Development Report
4, 2012)

Figure 1 shows that many countries have water scarcity problems. The Arab and
African region countries nations have the highest levels of water scarcity, as well as
major parts of Eastern China, India and the south-western USA (United Nations, 2012).
This shows that the world population is facing a water crisis. According to The United
Nations World Water Development Report, reported the result of the project about the
water shortage and world population, it shows that there are more access to clean
drinking water. In fact, the result of predict that by 2020 about 30-40% of the world will
have wate scarcity and the climate change can make this event worse. The water crisis
will greatly affect to human life, both in terms of food, drinking and other needs. Water
scarcity as the largest global risk in terms of potential impact. Water scarcity must be
overcome as soon as possible.
According to United World Water Development report, almost 884 million people
in the world still using unimproved drinking water source. In Africa, 45 % live in a
water scarcity. The coverage of drinking water supply in Africa is barely 60%; the world
average is about 87%. More than 319 million people live in a water scarcity. 15% live in
dirty water. Some 120 million people in the Europan and North America region do not
have access to safe drinking water. And also in China, the Ministry of Environmental
Protection reported that on average about 28% of the water in the ten main rivers in
China is polluted. And 59% of the ground water are ranked as bad or very bad
(Mekonnen and Hoekstra, 2016).
To overcome the problems about the water scarcity, there are many ways to
overcome this problems. Combination between technology and solar energy is the one
of solution to reduce the problem of the water scarcity. Zero Mass Water is a solar
startup that developed a hardware using solar panels, it is called SOURCE Hydropanel,
that makes drinking water from sunlight and air. Zero Mass Water states a standard
array (2 panels) averages 4-10 liters of water production each day depending on sunlight
and humidity conditions. With this solar panel technology, which is considered to be an
efficient, sustainable amd environment friendly way to solve water scarcity.

2. Solar Technology
A start up from Arizona, called Zero Mass Water aims to make clean water easly
accessible to more people in the world. The name of technology is SOURCE, it
launched it’s first product 2015. Many countries (more than 15 countries) was installed
SOURCE for helping people and make happiness to drinking a clean water. Each panel
costs $2000 and $500 for installation fee. The solar panel can generates an averages of
2 to 5 liters of water daily, depending on levels of humidity and sunlight.

Figure 2 SOURCE solar panels

Figure 1.2 shows SOURCE Zero Mass Water solar panels. The hydropanels are built
on the principle of water vapour. The principle of water vapour provided by the solar
panels power the capture and purification process. The solar panels help capture water
vapour out of the air, filters it using a calcium and magnesium catridge and stores it for
consumption.
 Figure 3 Five ways SOURCE working

According to SOURCE technical specifications, there are five ways how SOURCE
work; (1) air is drawn into SOURCE and water vapour in the air absorbs onto materials;
(2) solar thermal power desorbs water from the materials in to amplified water vapour
cycling within the Hydropanel resulting in liquid water formation, flowing into the
reservoir; (3) the collected pure water is mineralized for optimal health and taste and the
reservoir is actively managed for cleanliness; (4) water pumps from the onboard
reservoir through a polishing catridge and to a dispenser; (5) each hydropanel connects
to cloud based network and is monitoring for performance and the quality.

Figure 4. Dailiy water production

Based on Zero Mass Water company site, standard 2 panel array can produces about
5-10 liters of water per day. The water in storage will be mineralized with calcium and
magnesium that will increase the PH level. Zero mass water company has guaranteed
water quality so that it is suitable for human consumption.
3. Environment Friendly Innovation
Cody Friesen, CEO of Zero Mass Water says that this technology is environment
friendly innovation. The panels use sunlight to produce heat, which allows them to
collect water vapor from the air. And this technology doesn’t use electricity. In addition,
the startup based in Arizona, want to helping people to have access to drinking clean
water easly. Because, SOURCE needs only sunlight and air to make drinking water each
day at homes, schools, officers and more.
4. Result
As a result of the use this technology, many people are helped in solving the water
crisis problem. The following are the results of the application of SOURCE Hydropanel
technology:
 A standard array (2 panels array) averages 4-10 liters of water each a day or 8-20
water bottles, depending on sunshine and humidity.
 Zero Mass Water guarantees water quality and is good for consumption.
 Environment friendly - can reduce the excessive plastic waste (bottles and cup).
 SOURCE Hydropanel doesn’t use electricity, its can be implemented anywhere
and easly to use.
5. Implementation
The use of this technology can be implemented in daily live, such as in education,
healthy, agriculture, government, public use and can use at home. Zero Mass Water
reported that more than 15 countries was installed SOURCE in various fields.
5.1 School (Petros Primary School at Tanna, Vanuatu)
Republic of Vanuatu is a pacific island country located in the South Pacific Ocean. In
2015, Vanuatu suffered a big disaster. Tropical cyclone destroying 68% of rainwater
harvesting structures and 70% of existing water infrastructure, making the tropical
cyclone the worst natural disaster in Vanuatu’s history. Without infrastructure, water
distributed through relief agencies and rainwater collected tanks provided by residents
with their only supply of water. The residents only rely on rainwater to collect and
consume. But, unfortunately any rainwater collected on Tanna is contaminted by the
island’s volcano before reaching the groun

Figure 5 SOURCE was installed at Petros Primary School, Figure 6 The students drinking water from SOURCE
at Tanna, Vanuatu 2015 (source: SOURCE technical Hydropanel
specifications)
Figure 1 shows SOURCE solar panel
was installed at school and figure 2 shows the student drinking water from SOURCE
solar panel in 2015. As reported in Zero Mass Water site, Zero Mass Water and the
Asian Development Bank partnered to install a SOURCE Hydropanel array at Tanna’s
Petros Primary School. The Hydropanel array provides 3.000 liters of water each moth
or 10 liters of water per a day. After SOURCE Hydropanel was installed, students,
teachers and families now have an access to high quality drinking water.

5.2 Public Use (Masdar Park, United Arab Emirated)

The Arab region countries nations, same with the other countries in the Middle East
and North Africa region, have the highest levels of water scarcity. In Abu Dhabi, many
people needs a clean water, but unfortunatly, municipal tap water is not suitable for
drinking. The residents rely on bottled water for daily drinking needs. Because of the
increasing population and demand, the bottled water industry has significantly grown.
According to The National site, the UEA’s waste generation per kapita is about 1.3
kilograms a day, which is among the world’s highest. SOURCE Hydropanels offer a
drinking water solution in UAE that delivers the high quality water with no plastic and
will reduce the excessive plastic waste.

Figure 7 SOURCE Hydropanels was installed at Masdar

Figure 6 shows Park, Abu Dhabi SOURCE
Hydropanels was installed at Masdar
Park, in Abu Dhabi. These panels are connected to a stand alone dispenser and public
can drinks from the dispenser.

5.3 Disaster Relief (Utuado, Puerto Rico)

On 20, September 2017, hurricane in Puerto Rico bringing it reported wind gust
between 175km/h and 190km/h in some locations, causing level of widespread
destruction and disorganization parallaleled by few storms in American history. Almost
two weeks after the storm abated, most of the island’s residents still lack access to
electricity and clean water.
 Zero Mass Water collaboration with SunRun Solar, deployed and installed two arrays
of SOURCE panels at Utuado, Puerto Rico, for the residents to have an access to
drinking clean water.

Figure 8 The situation after the hurricane at Utuado, Figure 9 Two panel arrays were installed at security posts
Puerto Rico at Utuado, Puerto Rico
Two SOURCE panel arrays were
installed on the first roof over the firehouse garage. Each array contained one hub panel
with one of the hubs having one spoke panel attached and the other having two. The
panels were plumbed to a freestanding dispenser in the firehouse kitchen per the
firehouse request to keep the water safe. From there, the firemen are providing the water
to community members who cannot access clean water themselves.
6. References
Mekonnen, M.M., and Hoekstra, A.Y. 2016. Four Billion People Facing Severe
Water Scarcity. Science Advances.
Guanghua, X., Xianli, X., Tang, W., Liu, W., Shi, J., Liu, M., and Wang, K. 2016.
Fighting Againts Water Crisis in China – A Glimpse of Water Regime Shift at
Country Level. Environmental Science and Policy. 33-41.
Science Daily. 2014. Worldwide Water Shortage by 2040. Retrieved November 8,
2018. From : https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/07/140729093112.htm.
The National. 2018. Half of UAE Residents Want Disposable Coffee Cups and
Plastic Bags Banned. Retrieved November 10, 2018. From :
https://www.thenational.ae/uae/environment/half-of-uae-residents-want-
disposable-coffee-cups-and-plastic-bags-banned-survey-shows-1.788649.
United Nations World Water Development Report.
WWDR, 2012. Managing Water under Uncertainty and Risk. The United Nations
World Water Development Report 4. 2012. Managing Water under Uncertainty
and Risk. United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization.
 Zero Mass Water. 2012. SOURCE a Hydropanel Makes Drinking Water From
Sunlgiht and Air. Retreived November 8, 2018. From :
https://www.zeromasswater.com/.
7. Question
1) How does hydropanel can provide the benefits?
Answer :
There are several benefits:
- Can reduce the excessive plastic waste (bottles and cup).
- Save money (doesn’t need to buy a water bottle).
- Healthy life, the water produced has been mineralized with calcium and
magnesium which will increas pH.
2) How does implementing this technology in Indonesia?
Answer :
The solar technology was implemented in Merpak Sintang, Indonesia since
2015. The Asian Development Bank (ADB) is collaborating with Zero Mass
Water company and the organization to improve access to quality drinking water
in village. Because in Merpak Sintang, the people don’t have an access to
drinking clean water.
3) How does Zero Mass Water company has guaranteed water quality?

Answer :
The water that has been stored in storage will be mineralized with calcium
and magnesium that will increase pH. Every panel everywhere in the world is
connected through a mesh network to a standard database sitting on Amazon
Web Service, so the company can monitoring the water quality. Zero Mass Water
company has guaranteed water quality, so that it is suitable for consumption.