Can Cloud Harvesting Revolutionize Water Production? A Deep Dive into AirHES Technology

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⬇️ IN THIS EPISODE ⬇️

AirHES is a proposed atmospheric water harvesting technology that uses aerial collection systems (kites or balloons) with specialized mesh to capture cloud droplets. The collected water flows down through hoses, generating both pressurized freshwater and hydropower from the natural pressure head, claiming to potentially deliver the cheapest water and electricity on Earth.

This episode features my rigorous "10th man doctrine" analysis—applying contrarian due diligence to unconventional water technologies—drawing from my 15 years in the water and wastewater industry, including experience evaluating emerging technologies from desalination to atmospheric water generation.

🌶️ KEY SPICES 🌶️

☁️ Cloud-level water capture using proven fog collection mesh technology with documented efficiencies from existing literature

💧 Dual revenue streams from both freshwater production (modeled at $0.10-0.21/m³) and hydropower generation from vertical pressure head

🎯 Potential niche applications for remote, cloudy, inland communities needing 10-200 m³/day where traditional desalination faces infrastructure challenges

🔬 Rigorous physics-based analysis revealing realistic costs of $0.30-0.60/m³ after accounting for downtime, maintenance, and operational constraints

⚖️ Technology requires overcoming complex engineering trade-offs between pipe weight, friction losses, buoyancy, wind loading, and airspace regulatory hurdles

🥜 IN A NUTSHELL 🥜

Does the technology actually work? The mesh physics and fog collection principles are sound and well-documented, but cloud-level capture efficiency, uptime, and real-world performance remain unproven until multi-month instrumented pilots are conducted.

What are the biggest technical challenges? Running kilometers of pressure hoses vertically requires solving complex trade-offs between pipe weight, friction losses, buoyancy, wind loading, and material costs—issues that significantly impact economic viability.

Where could AirHES actually succeed? The technology shows promise for remote, persistently cloudy inland communities far from coastlines, mining camps at elevation, and island interiors where traditional reverse osmosis faces permitting barriers or extreme infrastructure costs.

Is the electricity generation worthwhile? Power output represents only ~8% of revenue in AirHES's own models, with typical systems generating just 2-3 kW—barely enough to power a hair dryer—making it more of a distraction than a selling point.

Why pursue weird ideas like this? Taking unconventional technologies seriously, even when flawed, expands the "adjacent possible" in water innovation, generates valuable insights, and prevents the sector from getting trapped optimizing only conventional solutions like reverse osmosis.

#️⃣ Mentioned Links #️⃣

• AirHES Technology

• Packy McCormick's "Not Boring" newsletter

• Send me your ideas: [email protected]

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How Does Water-as-a-Service Drive Billion-Dollar Exits in Infrastructure Investment?

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⬇️ IN THIS VIDEO ⬇️

Seven Seas Water Group is a vertically integrated water infrastructure platform that designs, builds, finances, operates, and maintains water and wastewater treatment facilities under long-term service agreements. The company recently completed a successful exit from Morgan Stanley Infrastructure Partners to EQT Infrastructure, operating over 210 water-as-a-service contracts across the Caribbean and United States with particular expertise in brackish water desalination and decentralized treatment systems.

Henry Charrabe is the CEO of Seven Seas Water Group who led the company through a successful four-year transformation and exit, previously serving in executive roles at Fluence Corporation, and is recognized for pioneering the application of water-as-a-service business models in US municipal and industrial markets.

🌶️ KEY SPICES 🌶️

💰 Vertically integrated platform - Seven Seas handles design, engineering, financing, construction, and operations in-house, eliminating margin stacking for lower costs and faster execution than multi-partner competitors

⚡ Proven track record at scale - 210+ active water purchase agreements with 15-30 year terms demonstrate repeatable success new entrants cannot easily replicate

🔄 Patient capital meets expertise - The exit proves infrastructure investors holding 4+ years combined with deep water knowledge generate exceptional returns in underinvested US infrastructure

📊 Public vs private dynamics - Public water equities offer lower risk and liquidity; private funds deliver superior returns for patient capital—both forming a necessary growth ecosystem

🥜 IN A NUTSHELL 🥜

Why is water-as-a-service winning? Performance-based contracts align incentives—investors only get paid when delivering contracted water quality and quantity.

What makes the US market attractive? Massive infrastructure underinvestment, creditworthy municipal off-takers, and decentralized systems create exceptional deployment opportunities.

How do private and public returns differ? Private water investments achieve 10x returns with patient capital, while public equities deliver 14-15% annually with lower risk and immediate liquidity.

Why fewer IPOs today? Cyclical markets favor private-to-private exits when strategic buyers offer better valuations than public market multiples.

What's the biggest opportunity? Reducing waste beats new supply—California loses 32% to inefficiencies, making conservation more economically attractive than desalination.

#️⃣ Mentioned Links #️⃣

Seven Seas' website

Loughlin Water Partners

Orange Ridge Capital

Robin Castelli's book

⏰ TIME CODES ⏰

00:00 Live from NYC's Climate Week

04:00 Henry Charrabé (Seven Seas Water)

25:49 John Rosenberg (Loughlin Water Partners)

40:08 Robin Castelli (Orange Ridge Capital)

50:01 Closing

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🤔 What Happened to Source Global's Water-from-Air Technology?

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My best water tech analysis straight to your inbox

SOURCE (formerly Zero Mass Water) produced drinking water from air using solar-powered Hydropanels.

Founded in 2015 by Cody Friesen, it raised $270 million, becoming one of water tech's most-funded companies.

🥜 IN A NUTSHELL 🥜

What was Source Global's core technology? Solar-powered Hydropanels that extract drinking water from atmospheric humidity, requiring no electrical or water infrastructure.

Why did the company fail despite massive funding? Ran out of cash after failing to raise funds, faced major quality issues from Malaysian manufacturing, and had unsustainable costs versus traditional water delivery.

What were the main product problems? High failure rates within 2-3 years, frequent fan and battery breakages, and warranty quietly reduced from 10 to 5 years.

Did Source attempt a business pivot? Acquired Proud Source Water and launched Sky Water, building Hydropanel farms to produce canned atmospheric water at scale.

What remains of Source Global today? The founder and executives left in early 2025. Hydropanels and Sky Water are out of stock, but the acquired Proud Source Water business continues operating.

#️⃣ Mentioned Links #️⃣

SOURCE's SEC filings (over the years):

Source on Glassdoor

Source's troubles in Allensworth

My own interview with Source, four years ago

Source's website (still active)

Cody Friesen's LinkedIn profile

Proud Source Water's website

The Marianna Hydropanel Farm on Google Maps

Thunderf00t's original video

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How Do 32+ Electrochemical Water Oxidation Technologies Compete for PFAS Destruction Market Share? Listen to this!

More #water insights? Connect with me on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/antoinewalter1/

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A big thank you to my partner, Georg Fischer: https://www.gfps.com/com/en/products-solutions/solutions/design-prefabrication.html#!

How Do 32+ Electrochemical Water Oxidation Technologies Compete for PFAS Destruction Market Share?

Electrochemical Water Oxidation is an emerging treatment technology that uses electrical current to break down persistent contaminants like PFAS in industrial wastewater. With 32 identified companies developing proprietary systems—17 specifically targeting PFAS destruction—this crowded market represents both intense competition and strong validation of a rapidly growing industrial need.

Antoine Walter is a water technology analyst and podcast host who has interviewed nine electrochemical oxidation companies, conducted comprehensive market research across 32 players in the space, and provides strategic insights for entrepreneurs, investors, and water industry executives navigating this competitive landscape.

🌶️ KEY SPICES 🌶️

⚡ Power Density Range: Technologies span three orders of magnitude (100-10,000+ A/m²), with higher densities potentially enabling more compact treatment systems

💎 Electrode Materials: Boron-Doped Diamond (33%) and Titanium suboxide (28%) lead among PFAS-focused companies, with Mixed Metal Oxide dominant overall

🎯 Market Maturity: 53% of PFAS-targeting companies operate at TRL 8 with only two at full commercial deployment (TRL 9)

🧪 Defluorination Proof: Four companies have achieved third-party verified >90% defluorination, with half reporting complete PFAS destruction capabilities

🏭 Minimal Chemistry: 58% operate with minimal chemical addition, and 83% self-clean through electrical reversal or direct capacity

🥜 IN A NUTSHELL 🥜

What's the actual market size? Only an estimated 250 of 10 million global industrial facilities have addressed PFAS in wastewater, with perhaps 24 choosing electrochemical oxidation—creating fierce competition for limited installations.

How do electrode materials differ? Boron-Doped Diamond offers superior performance but higher costs, while Mixed Metal Oxide and Titanium suboxide provide alternatives, with some companies opting for sacrificial anodes to reduce expenses.

What determines system performance? Power density, pH tolerance (46% work at neutral pH), electrode lifetime, and reactor design collectively influence treatment efficiency and operational costs more than any single factor.

Are these technologies deployment-ready? Most companies (TRL 7-9) have moved beyond lab-scale, though only Axine and AECOM have reached full commercial deployment with multiple installations.

What's the investment opportunity? The collective $120M raised across startups represents capital-efficient validation, with regulatory pressure intensifying and the addressable market potentially growing 10x within three years.

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How Can We Afford to Remove PFAS from Our Environment When Treatment Costs Exceed Global GDP?

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⬇️ IN THIS EPISODE ⬇️

PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) are persistent synthetic chemicals used in countless everyday products that contaminate drinking water, wastewater, and the environment. These "forever chemicals" accumulate irreversibly in our bodies and ecosystems, creating mounting health risks for current and future generations while presenting unprecedented economic and regulatory challenges.

Dr. Ali Ling is a professor at the University of St. Thomas specializing in PFAS management and wastewater treatment, with a decade of consulting experience helping industrial and municipal facilities address emerging contaminants, and expertise in big-picture systems thinking for environmental risk assessment.

🌶️ KEY SPICES 🌶️

💰 Cost-Effective Approach - Source reduction is 1,000 times cheaper than environmental cleanup, with upstream industrial controls costing hundreds versus millions of dollars per kilogram of PFAS removed

🔬 Technology Expertise - Comprehensive knowledge of GAC, ion exchange, destruction technologies, and emerging treatment solutions across drinking water, wastewater, and industrial applications

📊 Data-Driven Strategy - Evidence-based analysis showing that removing PFAS at current production rates would exceed global GDP, making source control the only viable path forward

🎯 Risk Prioritization - Understanding that drinking water represents less than 20% of human PFAS exposure, with diet and indoor dust contributing significantly more to health risks

🌍 Future-Focused Thinking - Emphasis on persistence as a critical factor, recognizing that today's PFAS releases create irreversible accumulation threatening future generations

🥜 IN A NUTSHELL 🥜

Why is cleaning up PFAS from the environment economically impossible? Removing PFAS from the environment at the rate we produce it costs millions of dollars per kilogram and would exceed global GDP, while upstream source control costs only hundreds to thousands of dollars per kilogram.

What's the biggest misconception about PFAS treatment? Most people focus on drinking water cleanup as a past problem, but we're still actively producing massive amounts of PFAS today, and drinking water represents less than 20% of human exposure to these persistent chemicals.

Should utilities treat PFAS in wastewater effluent? Treating municipal wastewater effluent is extremely expensive and environmentally impactful, whereas addressing industrial discharges and landfill leachate at their concentrated source points is far more cost-effective and logical.

How do we prevent regrettable substitution when phasing out PFAS? The European Union is implementing better frameworks that assess both persistence and toxicity before approving chemicals, while companies like IKEA and H&M have successfully phased out PFAS entirely from their supply chains.

#️⃣ Mentioned Links #️⃣

Ali Ling's LinkedIn profile

Ali's paper on the costs to remove PFAS from the environment

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What's to remember from WEFTEC 2025? Here are my 5 Water Tech picks, 3 Marketing Tips, the State of the Union on the Water/AI Nexus, and much more. Wanna get 3 Days at WEFTEC summarized in 70 Minutes? Listen to this!

More #water insights? Connect with me on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/antoinewalter1/

🙌 Supporters 🙌

A big thank you to my partner SimpleLab: https://link.dww.show/simplelab

#️⃣ All the Links Mentioned in this Video #️⃣

BDP EnviroTech's website: https://bdpenvirotech.com/

Lummus Technology's website: https://www.lummustechnology.com/

Weaver Labs' website: https://www.weaver-labs.com/

Algafilm's website: https://algafilm.com/

CREW Carbon's website: https://crewcarbon.com/

GWI's new Water Investment Navigator: https://www.winwaterprojects.io/

🎙️ Subscribe and Listen to the Don't Waste Water Podcast HERE 🎙️

Podcast Channel: @dwwpodcast

Main Channel: @AntoineWalterDWW

Smartlink: https://smartlink.ausha.co/dont-waste-water

Website: https://dww.show/podcast/

🙋 QUESTION: What would you like me to cover next?

⏰ TIME CODES ⏰

00:00 Introduction

01:22 XPRIZE Water Scarcity

02:56 3 Shortlisted for XPRIZE

07:05 #5 Water Tech Pick - BDP EnviroTech

16:03 #4 Water Tech Pick - Lummus Technology

23:59 My Rules & Thank You SimpleLab

25:01 WEF Board Member Interview

28:21 #3 Water Tech Pick - Weaver Labs

35:56 #2 Water Tech Pick - Algafilm Technologies

45:13 3 Tips to Power Up your Tradeshow Marketing

48:27 #1 Water Tech Pick - CREW Carbon

59:45 The Water AI Nexus

1:01:36 GWI's take at AI (with WEF)

1:08:28 Best WEFTEC Ever

About this Podcast:

Welcome to the (don't) Waste Water podcast, the leading podcast for water industry professionals, investors, and entrepreneurs seeking deep insights into water tech innovation, investment trends, and strategic moves in the sector. Host Antoine Walter blends his technical expertise with sharp business acumen to deliver weekly episodes featuring candid conversations with C-suite executives, detailed analysis of major water industry developments, and practical insights for water tech startups and seasoned players alike.

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Will we die young & rich or live older & less rich? That is why Henk Ovink is formal: We will fail on climate change if we fail on water. Wanna know why? Listen to this!

More #water insights? Connect with me on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/antoinewalter1/

🙌 Supporters 🙌

A big thank you to my partner SimpleLab: https://link.dww.show/simplelab

And a great shout out for Sciens Water's great Rethinking Water where this interview was recorded: https://scienswater.com/

#️⃣ All the Links Mentioned in this Video #️⃣

Global Commission on the Economics of Water Final Report: https://watercommission.org/#report

My conversation with Sean Davis on PPPPs models

My UN Water Conference 2023 coverage:

Day 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sOs5J6VymwE

Day 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2bQhz_yHN5U

Day 3: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XZZaON3Pr0c

Final Coverage: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7gksQHzCYVA

🎙️ Subscribe and Listen to the Don't Waste Water Podcast HERE 🎙️

Podcast Channel: @dwwpodcast

Main Channel: @AntoineWalterDWW

Smartlink: https://smartlink.ausha.co/dont-waste-water

Website: https://dww.show/podcast/

🙋 QUESTION: What would you like me to cover next?

⏰ TIME CODES ⏰

00:00 In this week's Episode

01:52 Key Findings of the Global Commission on the Economics of Water

07:55 In-Depth Discussion with Henk Ovink

11:12 Economic Value of Water Investments

15:45 Challenges and Future Outlook

18:29 The Consequences of Ignoring Climate Change

20:21 The Role of Decision Makers and Coalitions

22:17 Reflections on the UN Water Conference

27:26 The Complexity of Global Water & Climate Challenges

32:25 The Path Forward

📝 IN THIS WEEK'S EPISODE

💸 Why choosing between dying "young & rich" vs "older & less rich" defines our water future - and the shocking GDP numbers that prove it

🌍 How 4,000 liters per person per day completely reframes everything we thought we knew about water justice (hint: it's not about drinking water)

🎯 The five radical missions that could save 25% of irrigation water by 2050 while actually increasing farmer incomes

💔 What really happened at the UN Water Conference that left me staying up all night with crushing disappointment - and why there's still hope

🔥 Why "stupidity pays off in the short term" is destroying our planet - and the 10-year tipping point we're racing towards

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How did SKion Water turn a $142M "apple tree" into $1.8B gold with the carve out of Ovivo's Electronics division to Ecolab? Let's find out!

My best water tech analysis straight to your inbox: https://www.linkedin.com/build-relation/newsletter-follow?entityUrn=6884833968848474112

🙌 Supporters 🙌

A big thank you to my partner SimpleLab: https://link.dww.show/simplelab

#️⃣ All the Links Mentioned in this Video #️⃣

Ovivo Electronics carve-out to Ecolab: https://www.ovivowater.com/en/news/ovivo-to-sell-electronics-division-to-ecolab/

SKion Water's website: https://www.skionwater.com/en/

My conversation with Reinhard Hübner: https://smartlink.ausha.co/dont-waste-water/s5e1-the-7-secrets-of-the-water-company-of-the-year-you-shall-absolutely-steal

LG Chem's carve out of its RO division: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aFPOrr-ycFM

🎙️ Subscribe and Listen to the Don't Waste Water Podcast HERE 🎙️

Podcast Channel: @dwwpodcast

Main Channel: @AntoineWalterDWW

Smartlink: https://smartlink.ausha.co/dont-waste-water

Website: https://dww.show/podcast/

🙋 QUESTION: What would you like me to cover next?

⏰ TIME CODES ⏰

00:00 If Ovivo was a Tree

01:20 Ovivo's History

06:50 Water Investment Consequences

11:46 Water Valuations

16:54 The Rise of PE-Backed Platforms

📝 IN THIS WEEK'S EPISODE

🌳 How SKion Water built a $142M acquisition into a $1.8B exit while keeping half the company - the apple tree story that proves water investment delivers 10x returns

💰 The cascade of billion-dollar water deals in 2024 that's proving once and for all that water investments outperform traditional sectors with documented 2x to 10x multiples

🎯 Why pure-play water companies massively outperform conglomerates and how the semiconductor water boom is creating unprecedented valuations

🏗️ The emergence of 20+ PE platforms actively reshaping the water sector through strategic roll-ups and the specific revenue ranges they're targeting

📊 The Water Food Chain framework that reveals exactly where the next wave of acquisitions will happen and what valuation multiples entrepreneurs and investors can expect at each level

About this Podcast: Welcome to the (don't) Waste Water podcast! In each episode, Antoine Walter from DWW Media shares water, wastewater & water entrepreneurship stories. This show will teach you the water industry like you've never seen it. If you're asking how the water sector will overcome the water crises ahead, this video is for you.

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Aquatech just acquired Koch Technology Solutions’ direct lithium extraction business - Here are my 3 key takeaways!

#️⃣ All the Links Mentioned in this Video #️⃣

Aquatech's press release: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/aquatech-acquires-kochs-direct-lithium-extraction-business-integrating-li-pro-dle-into-the-pearl-technology-platform-302558347.html

My conversation with Devesh Sharma: https://youtu.be/inlyb_aMtzw?si=z1uTHU6GlRvmuKPl

My full exploration of the Lithium World: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JeZJpBySIQo&t=1s

🎙️ PODCAST 🎙️

Website: https://dww.show/podcast/

Smartlink: https://smartlink.ausha.co/dont-waste-water

👋 SOCIAL MEDIA 👋

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/antoinewalter1/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dwwpodcast/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/AntoineWalter7

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DontWasteWaterPodcast

⏰ TIME CODES ⏰

00:00 Aquatech acquires Koch Technology Solutions' DLE

00:47 The Story

04:01 The Business

07:00 The Market

11:45 Epilogue

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Could this new material finally change Reverse Osmosis for the better? Let's dig into it!

More #WaterTech insights? Get my free water investor database: https://investors.dww.show

🙌 Supporters 🙌

A big thank you to my partner SimpleLab: https://link.dww.show/simplelab

#️⃣ All the Links Mentioned in this Video #️⃣

Nala Membranes: https://www.nalamembranes.com/

Sue Mecham's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sue-mecham-a34252/

The theory of Water Innovation: https://youtu.be/A36PsBc1cnc?si=YFkiE4vdj3pJRS59

My conversation with ZwitterCo: https://smartlink.ausha.co/dont-waste-water/s8e17-zwitterions-super-powers-could-solve-wastewater-membranes-number-one-problem

🎙️ Subscribe and Listen to the Don't Waste Water Podcast HERE 🎙️

Podcast Channel: @dwwpodcast

Main Channel: @AntoineWalterDWW

Smartlink: https://smartlink.ausha.co/dont-waste-water

Website: https://dww.show/podcast/

🙋 QUESTION: What would you like me to cover next?

⏰ TIME CODES ⏰

00:00 Introduction

02:03 The Innovator's Dilemma

08:01 Technical Deep Dive: NALA's Chlorine Tolerant Membranes

15:13 The Mother-Daughter Duo Behind Nala Membranes

19:09 Manufacturing and Market Adoption

31:50 Custom Development and Future Prospects

34:39 Industrial Wastewater and Market Potential

36:39 Partnerships and Business Strategy

38:21 Funding and Future Plans

46:12 Global Expansion and Manufacturing

51:30 Rapid Fire Questions and Closing Thoughts

📝 IN THIS WEEK'S EPISODE

🧬 How a mother-daughter duo created the first new membrane material in 40 years after everyone said it couldn't be done

💰 Why eliminating biofouling with chlorine-tolerant membranes could slash operating costs by 24% overnight

🏭 What makes industrial wastewater treatment the perfect proving ground for disrupting the membrane oligopoly

🔬 How controlling both polymer chemistry and manufacturing unlocks custom membrane solutions nobody thought possible

🚀 Why bootstrapping on a shoestring budget might beat the heavily-funded competition to global membrane domination by 2030

About this Podcast: Welcome to the (don't) Waste Water podcast! In each episode, Antoine Walter from DWW Media shares water, wastewater & water entrepreneurship stories. This show will teach you the water industry like you've never seen it. If you're asking how the water sector will overcome the water crises ahead, this video is for you.

Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.