Clean energy journalism for a cooler tomorrow

A wind turbine that also makes water

Windmills have long been used to pull water from the ground. In the parched desert of the United Arab Emirates, an entrepreneur hopes to again use wind power to extract water - this time, from the air.
By Ken Paulman

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(Photo via Eole Water)

The prairies of the Midwest were once dotted with windmills that pumped groundwater for livestock (and people). Now, Recharge News reports, in the parched desert of the United Arab Emirates, an entrepreneur hopes to again use wind power to extract water – this time, from the air.

The concept is simple: Connect a wind turbine to a compressor/​condenser similar to an air conditioner. The cold causes moisture in the air to condense into liquid water, which is collected and piped to the ground.

While the turbines are still in development, a prototype is already capable of producing 100-200 gallons of water per day, according to Eole Water, the company producing the new technology.

Read the whole story at Recharge News.

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Ken Paulman is the director of impact at Canary Media. He was previously the founder and director of the Energy News Network, which merged with Canary Media in 2025.