With recent research estimating over half of the world’s population lacks access to safe, clean drinking water, VX News interviewed Robert Hertzberg, who, as chair of the advisory board for SOURCE Global, shares insights on how the technology that uses solar power to extract water from the air is addressing the global water crisis with innovative, scalable solutions that can provide clean drinking water to communities around the world. Drawing on his extensive work in California’s water infrastructure, Hertzberg underscores why he believes SOURCE Global’s Hydropanel represents a vital part of the future of distributed water supply systems, touching on the challenges of scale, role of public policy in water democratization, and plans to continue advocating for clean water access in the U.S. and abroad.
Bob, with recent research estimating over half of the world’s population lacks access to safe, clean drinking water, companies and governments have been investing significantly in solutions to alleviate water scarcity. Tell us about SOURCE Global and why you’ve agreed to chair their advisory board. Do they have the answer?
I think they have a big piece of the answer. I decided to get involved because, as you know, I’ve been working on water issues since 1975. I wrote my dissertation on water, dealing with the Redlands Water Company and the creation of Big Bear Lake, which became a recreational area but originally served as a water supply for Redlands' growth and the citrus industry in the Inland Empire. I worked with Jesse Unruh on the District Securities Commission when he was treasurer, and we approved more than $7 billion in water bond infrastructure.
In the legislature, I worked on the Quantification Settlement Agreement, dealing with the allocation of Colorado River water across seven states. I also worked with Governor Wilson on the All-American Canal lining project, saving 100,000 acre-feet of water annually, which was directed to San Diego. I served on the 50-year planning commission with the Metropolitan Water District, outlining water strategies. Despite representing the San Fernando Valley, I worked extensively on Central Valley water issues, where communities had water trucked in or relied on bottled water. So, when Cody Friesen, the CEO of SOURCE Global, approached me, it was a natural fit.
Cody is a PhD from MIT in material sciences and a professor at Arizona State University. He started the company in 2015. I’ve followed the company for a long time; it was formerly called Zero Mass Water. I see this technology as a key part of a distributed water supply system, which addresses significant challenges both in California and worldwide.
Please briefly describe Source Global’s technological breakthrough.
It’s sunlight in a bottle.
With heat and energy from the sun, the Hydropanel converts water vapor collected into clean drinking water. The pure water is mineralized with magnesium and calcium to achieve an ideal taste profile. Finally, sensors in each Hydropanel monitor and optimize the water to maintain quality.
The Hydropanel looks like a regular solar panel, but it uses solar power to run a small fan that draws in air. The technology extracts about two gallons of water from the air per day. There’s six times more water in the atmosphere than in all the rivers in the U.S., so availability isn’t an issue. You can extract water even in dry places like Death Valley or the Sonoran Desert, where the company is based. It’s extraordinary—there’s nothing more vital than drinking water for human survival.
Is SOURCE’s claims to be the first to commercialize and scale patented solar atmospheric water harvesting technology… as scalable as the company suggests?
Yes, that’s why I’m involved.
Condensing water from the air is not a new idea ... But the question is how the water is condensed and with what source of energy. Previous attempts tended to be essentially big refrigeration units that use immense amounts of electricity, inefficiently and at great intensity, only working when the humidity is rather high.
SOURCE Hydropanel is unique in that it operates at high efficiency, entirely independent of infrastructure, and across a wide range of humidity, the CEO says.
Since starting in 2015, the company has raised over $350 million from investors like Bill Gates, BlackRock, and Harvard. New technologies take time to scale, but they’re making progress. They’ve implemented the technology in various areas, from large Central Valley farms to Robert Downey Jr.’s house in Malibu. The beauty of it, like solar energy, is the potential for distributed systems.
For example, in the Central Valley, where water is trucked in, Hydropanel eliminates that need. It also helps in areas with contaminated wells or lead pipes. Each Hydropanel produces about two gallons of drinking water per day.
As you know, the home solar market has changed, with community solar emerging to address challenges of scale. How does SOURCE fit into the market shift from home-level to community-level development?
Well, it does both. If you look at the website, you see big fields of Hydropanel systems that are used in Africa and other countries where they're looking to create water under the atmosphere— as I like to say, sunlight in a bottle. But you can also install a single Hydropanel on a home to generate a couple of gallons of water per day. It’s flexible in that regard.
Given your global experience, is the technology truly scalable internationally?
Yes, SOURCE is operating in over 50 countries around the world. Arizona State University, where the technology was first developed, powered up a water farm in September that can produce 400,000 gallons of drinking water a year (or about 1.5 million liters).
The technology doesn’t depend on specific temperatures or environments, making it very versatile. The main barrier is cost, but that will decrease as production scales. Right now, the installation cost is about $3,900 per Hydropanel.
I'm actually pulled over on the side of the road on my way to Bakersfield because Kern County is looking into this. There was a press release that just came out from the Governor's office. The headline talks about the state supporting projects to bolster drinking water systems and climate resilience in nearly 400 California communities, and mentions leveraging $880 million to water systems and communities during the last fiscal year – benefiting around 12 million Californians across 395 projects. These initiatives are helping capture, recycle, and recharge water, improve stormwater systems, and protect groundwater. Since 2019, nearly 900,000 more Californians have gained access to clean drinking water through the state's efforts.
However, there’s still a significant issue with access. If you look at the climate bond, it has billions allocated for clean drinking water. The federal government is also providing hundreds of millions. There was a bill passed when I was in office that allocates a portion of the cap-and-trade money for clean drinking water as well. So, there are numerous avenues to address this, and we’re in discussions with multiple states about adopting this technology. It's a very cost-effective, efficient solution. Think about the environmental impact of diesel trucks driving into rural areas to deliver water or plastic waste from bottled water. This is an elegant, off-grid solution to water supply.
Before concluding, VerdeXchange News is hoping you’ll again moderate a panel in April at VX2025 – this time on water scarcity and democratization, involving SOURCE Global. Can we count on you?
Yes, of course. It’s right up my alley—public policy, water access—it’s extraordinary. Since leaving office, I’ve had several opportunities come my way, and you’ll see more announcements soon, but this project aligns perfectly with my passion.
People often asked me why I focused on water bills in the Central Valley, and it’s because it was the right thing to do. If you look at some of my legislation, you'll see that it wasn’t just for Santa Monica or urban areas—it was for the Central Valley, where the need was greatest.
"SOURCE Hydropanel technology incorporates multiple patented inventions alongside proprietary trade secrets, making it a one-of-a-kind renewable water solution that uses the power of the sun to produce pure water that is then mineralized for ideal pH and TDS, resulting in safe, premium quality drinking water.
Hydropanel is like a solar photovoltaic panel, but instead of creating electricity, it instead makes clean, safe drinking water without electric hookups or infrastructure, nearly anywhere in the world."