Periodic Reporting for period 2 - STRATUS (Replicating the rain process to provide a sustainable drinking water supply where most needed)
Reporting period: 2020-11-01 to 2021-10-31
STRATUS project addresses the global challenge of bottled water consumption and its implications on:
- Waste generation with nearly half a trillion bottles ending in the environment every year
- Pollution caused by transportation and inconvenience for the user to carry the bottles home
- Microplastics contained in 93% of bottled water
- Cost, with an average price in Europe of €0.34 per litre.
GENAQ has developed an industrial technology, atmospheric water generation, that harvests the humidity in the air based on refrigeration technology.
The STRATUS project aims to make this technology available for the non-industrial user, typically household and public premises so they benefit from a high-quality water, at a low cost, without the need of logistics and without waste produced.
To achieve it, GENAQ is optimizing this technology to obtain home appliance type of atmospheric water generators, analyzing the drinking water market, disseminating the solution, and developing the most appropriate sales channels.
- Waste generation with nearly half a trillion bottles ending in the environment every year
- Pollution caused by transportation and inconvenience for the user to carry the bottles home
- Microplastics contained in 93% of bottled water
- Cost, with an average price in Europe of €0.34 per litre.
GENAQ has developed an industrial technology, atmospheric water generation, that harvests the humidity in the air based on refrigeration technology.
The STRATUS project aims to make this technology available for the non-industrial user, typically household and public premises so they benefit from a high-quality water, at a low cost, without the need of logistics and without waste produced.
To achieve it, GENAQ is optimizing this technology to obtain home appliance type of atmospheric water generators, analyzing the drinking water market, disseminating the solution, and developing the most appropriate sales channels.
The following tasks and achievements have been performed:
Complete development of refrigeration circuit, ventilation, heat exchangers, hydraulic circuit, water treatment, electrical panel, control, and user interface performed for S20, S50 and S200. Hot and cold-water functionality and Internet of Things interface have also been developed.
Suppliers have been detected and contacted, and components have been purchased and used in the prototypes manufacturing.
Production, Quality Control and PO Preparation process have been defined and deployed. Manufacturing and laboratory resources have been installed and five prototypes have been built (one for S20, two for S50, and two for S200).
As part of the laboratory resource, a climate chamber designed, built, and used for testing including air temperature and relative humidity control functionality.
Testing of the five prototypes in laboratory including water generation, energy consumption, ease of use and water quality has been performed.
In terms of documentation, several documents have been created including technical datasheets, specifications plate, safety datasheet, user guides, control guide, maintenance table, and warranty.
Certification has been obtained including CE Marking, Restriction of Hazardous Substances, Certificate of Origin, Fluorinated Gases, Water Generation, Water Quality, and Food-Grade.
Market analysis has been performed including market and sub-markets size, product features and customer benefit, end client characterization, and sales channel analysis. Agreement template has been created and several connections were made with potential channels both using a cold-call approach and through a water-cooler’s association GENAQ has joined. Those who have already signed the agreement have been enabled using the sales documentation, and sales and technical trainings.
Targeted marketing material and sales support tools have been created including arguments, brochures, calculation tools, case studies, catalogue, presentations, videos, pictures, and references.
Several dissemination activities have been performed including media publications, social media posts, presence in exhibitions (including online ones due to COVID effect).
In terms of IP protection, the brand has been registered and the technology protected though industrial secret.
Complete development of refrigeration circuit, ventilation, heat exchangers, hydraulic circuit, water treatment, electrical panel, control, and user interface performed for S20, S50 and S200. Hot and cold-water functionality and Internet of Things interface have also been developed.
Suppliers have been detected and contacted, and components have been purchased and used in the prototypes manufacturing.
Production, Quality Control and PO Preparation process have been defined and deployed. Manufacturing and laboratory resources have been installed and five prototypes have been built (one for S20, two for S50, and two for S200).
As part of the laboratory resource, a climate chamber designed, built, and used for testing including air temperature and relative humidity control functionality.
Testing of the five prototypes in laboratory including water generation, energy consumption, ease of use and water quality has been performed.
In terms of documentation, several documents have been created including technical datasheets, specifications plate, safety datasheet, user guides, control guide, maintenance table, and warranty.
Certification has been obtained including CE Marking, Restriction of Hazardous Substances, Certificate of Origin, Fluorinated Gases, Water Generation, Water Quality, and Food-Grade.
Market analysis has been performed including market and sub-markets size, product features and customer benefit, end client characterization, and sales channel analysis. Agreement template has been created and several connections were made with potential channels both using a cold-call approach and through a water-cooler’s association GENAQ has joined. Those who have already signed the agreement have been enabled using the sales documentation, and sales and technical trainings.
Targeted marketing material and sales support tools have been created including arguments, brochures, calculation tools, case studies, catalogue, presentations, videos, pictures, and references.
Several dissemination activities have been performed including media publications, social media posts, presence in exhibitions (including online ones due to COVID effect).
In terms of IP protection, the brand has been registered and the technology protected though industrial secret.
The second prototypes manufactured have demonstrated a performance never achieved before in atmospheric water generation of 0.2 kWh/liter (under nominal conditions of air temperature of 30ºC and relative humidity of 80%). This implies a return on investment on the product of around 2 years and annual savings of 500 to 1500 € as compared to bottled water.