Max Hidalgo is a Peruvian biologist, inventor, and entrepreneur who developed a device that uses a wind turbine to generate water. Called Yawa, the device works by condensing vapor from the air into potable water. This technology is also referred to as Atmospheric Water Generation, but Hidalgo’s invention stands apart from some others in this field because it runs exclusively on wind and solar power.

One Yawa single unit can provide enough water for a hundred people at a much lower cost than conventional piped systems. As such, these devices offer a lifeline to communities where such infrastructure is prohibitively expensive or nonexistent, especially in rural areas.

Hidalgo’s work earned him recognition as one of the United Nations Environment Programme’s Young Champions of the Earth for 2020. To learn more about his work, visit the “Definition” and “Action” links below.