Atmospheric water generator and solar panels: producing your own water autonomously

Producing your own water from air, with the energy of the sun: it is possible, and it is particularly relevant in warm and sunny regions, where generators produce the most. Here’s how to size a solar installation for your generator.

Why associate solar energy with a water generator?

Total autonomy : potable water without a water network or electricity network, ideal for an isolated site, a boat moored at the dock, a humanitarian project.
Almost zero cost of use once the installation is amortized.
Good correspondence It’s often when it’s hot and sunny that we need the most water… and that the generator is effective.

The 3-step calculation method

The consumption of the generator : increase its electrical power in production (indicated in the technical specifications of each model).
The duration of operation : how many hours per day does it have to run to produce the volume of water you need. Energy per day (Wh) = power (W) × operating hours.
The solar production In metropolitan France, a panel produces on average the equivalent of 3 to 4 hours of its peak power every day; in the Antilles and in the tropics, rather 4 to 5 hours.

Theoretical example A 500 W device that operates 8 hours a day consumes 4,000 Wh, or 4 kWh. In the tropics, with approximately 4.5 hours of equivalent sunlight, about 900 Wc of panels are required, plus a margin of 20 to 30 % for losses and cloudy days.

Self-consumption or batteries?

Self-consumption during the day, connected to the network The generator operates on solar power during the day and on the grid the rest of the time. This is the simplest and cheapest solution.
Isolated site with batteries The batteries store energy to run the generator at night, when the relative humidity is often highest. The installation is more expensive, but the autonomy is complete.
Inverter Choose a pure sine wave inverter capable of absorbing the compressor’s start-up peak.

Which generator for a solar installation?

C2 and C3 Very low consumption, easy to power with a few panels;
C8 For a family or an office, with a medium-sized installation;
C60, D158 and D250 For collective or agricultural projects, a dedicated study is recommended.

In summary

An atmospheric water generator can operate using solar energy.
Calculate the necessary energy (power × hours) and then the power of the panels, with a margin.
Essential batteries for an isolated site; sufficient self-consumption during the day, otherwise.

Do you have a project in the field of isolation or humanitarian aid? Contact us We dimension your installation free of charge. See also: our humanitarian projects.

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How much water does an atmospheric water generator produce? The role of humidity and temperature

« How many liters per day? » This is the first question we are asked. The answer depends mainly on two parameters: the temperature and the’humidity of air. Here’s how to understand them to choose the right generator and get the best out of it.

How a generator produces water

An atmospheric water generator works like morning dew. It draws air through a filter, cools it below its «dew point»: the water vapor condenses into droplets, which are collected and then filtered, purified (ozone or UV depending on the models) and mineralized. The more water vapor the air contains, the more the machine recovers it.

How much water is in the air?

Relative humidity (as % indicated by a hygrometer) is not enough: a warm air can contain much more water than a cold air. A few orders of magnitude, in grams of water per cubic meter of air:

Conditions	Water contained in the air
30 °C and 80 % humidity (tropical climate)	about 24 g/m³
25 °C and 60 % % humidity (summer in the metropolitan area)	about 14 g/m³
20°C and 50 % % humidity (temperate interior)	about 9 g/m³
15 °C and 40 % % humidity (cool and dry air)	about 5 g/m³

In other words, in a tropical climate, the air contains nearly five times more water that it is a fresh and dry air. That is why the production ranges of our models are wide: the upper range corresponds to a warm and humid climate, the lower one to a cooler or drier air.

The production of our models

Model	Production per day	For whom?
C2	3 to 10 liters	One person or a couple
C3	3 to 12 liters	Small family, mineral water
C8	10 to 30 liters	Large family, office, business
C60	100 to 250 liters	Hotel, small community
D158 / D250	up to 150 / 250 liters	Agriculture, irrigation, animals

To properly size up: count 2 to 3 liters of drinking water per person per day, plus the cooking water if you wish. Take a margin if you live in a colder or drier climate.

5 tips to produce more water

Place the generator in the warmest and most humid room : a kitchen, a veranda, a covered terrace (protected from rain and direct sunlight for the outdoor models).
Leave some space around so that the air can circulate freely at the entrance and exit.
Avoid installing it right next to a air conditioner or dehumidifier, which dry out the air.
Clean or replace the air filter at the planned intervals: a clogged filter reduces the air flow and therefore the production.
Keep it running continuously Production takes place day and night; at night, the relative humidity is often higher.

And the energy?

Conserving water requires electricity, like a small refrigerator. Again, efficiency is better in hot and humid weather: more liters are obtained for the same consumption. When combined with solar panels, a generator can operate autonomously.