California-based startup Atoco has developed a system that extracts water directly from the air. The device can collect up to 300 liters per day, even at humidity levels as low as 13%, using only low-temperature heat to release the moisture. The company was founded by chemist Omar Yaghi, who shared the 2025 Nobel Prize in Chemistry.
The technology relies on metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), porous materials that act like sponges to capture water molecules from the air. Their internal surface area is enormous: the combined surface area of the pores in just one gram of the material can equal that of two football fields.
Once the material has absorbed moisture, it is heated to approximately 38°C, releasing the water so it can be collected. The system can operate without a connection to the electrical grid, using sources such as waste heat generated by industrial equipment.
A prototype about six meters tall has been installed in the parking lot of Atoco’s offices in Irvine, California. It can produce up to 300 liters of water per day. During a recent demonstration, the air temperature exceeded 32°C, yet the system operated almost silently. A solar panel powered its auxiliary electronics, while a heat source at approximately 66°C supplied the heat needed to release the moisture.
The resulting water is comparable in quality to distilled water, but the company does not yet recommend drinking it. Before marketing the water as potable, Atoco would need to verify its safety and ensure it meets applicable drinking-water standards. The technology is considered particularly promising for data centers, which consume large amounts of water to cool their servers while generating heat that is often released into the environment. Atoco proposes using that waste heat to extract moisture from the air, potentially recovering water for reuse at the facilities.
The company has deployed five prototypes in partnership with organizations in the U.S. and the Persian Gulf region. It expects to begin accepting orders by the end of 2026. The commercial version of the off-grid unit is designed to produce up to 1,000 liters of water per day.
Atoco estimates that its technology can currently produce water at a levelized cost of about $5 per ton. The company aims to bring that cost down to $2 per ton within three to five years. If it can scale up production and reduce costs, the technology could offer an additional source of water in water-scarce areas, complementing supplies from rivers, groundwater and seawater desalination.
Read also: Kazakhstan taps UAE tech to trigger artificial rain.
For Kazakhstan, the technology could be especially useful in arid regions facing irrigation shortages. During the 2025 irrigation season, southern regions accounted for about 98% of the 11.01 billion cubic meters of water withdrawn nationwide for irrigation. If the units become affordable and can produce enough water under local conditions, they could help supplement agricultural water supplies. However, their practical value would depend on output, operating costs and access to suitable heat sources.