Atoco Pioneers Atmospheric Water Harvesting for Sustainable Agriculture

Atoco, an innovative company in the field of water technology, is set to commercialize its groundbreaking atmospheric water harvesting technology. This development includes a 20-foot containerized unit specifically designed for industrial use, making it accessible and scalable for various agricultural operations.

Production Capacity

Each on-grid unit is poised to produce approximately 2,000 to 4,000 liters of high-purity water daily, while off-grid units can generate up to 1,000 liters per day. This advancement offers an additional, decentralized water source for growers and operators situated in arid and semi-arid regions, a crucial factor given the increasing global water scarcity.

Empowering Sustainable Practices

Han Park, Product Market Specialist at Atoco, highlighted the pressing water challenges facing controlled environment agriculture and other industries. “We believe we can contribute to something meaningful through what we call water-positive greenhouses or water-positive indoor farming,” he stated.

According to Park, the aim is for indoor farming and greenhouses to achieve self-sustainability by generating their own water using Atoco’s innovative technology. “The future looks extremely bright and promising as we explore partnerships with established market leaders,” he added during a recent discussion at the World Agri-Tech Innovation Summit in Dubai.

Nobel Prize Winning Innovation

Founded by renowned chemist Omar Yaghi, recipient of the 2025 Nobel Prize in Chemistry, Atoco utilizes a cutting-edge metal-organic framework (MOF) for its atmospheric water collection. This highly porous material can trap water molecules from the air, and its effectiveness has been proven in some of the driest conditions on Earth, including Death Valley, California.

Park noted, “This solid substance has a large porous space capable of capturing H2O molecules, even in arid regions. The water we generated during our tests was near distilled quality.” This technology not only generates water but also aids in climate control by managing humidity levels in greenhouses and indoor farming, thus reducing energy consumption — a significant challenge for controlled environment agriculture.

A Circular Economy in Agriculture

Atoco’s technology harnesses free ambient energy, providing a sustainable solution that can operate off-grid. Park envisions a future where greenhouses act as “nodes” within larger energy and water ecosystems, connecting agricultural needs with industrial waste heat.

“Our off-grid technology can utilize low-grade waste heat from industrial power sources or data centers, dissipating otherwise wasted energy into something productive,” he explained.

As the global emphasis on sustainable and resilient agricultural systems increases, Atoco aims to position atmospheric water harvesting as a recognized alternative alongside desalination and wastewater reuse.

“Water is essential to our lives and industry. Recognizing atmospheric water as a legitimate water source is crucial in fostering synergy with the controlled environment agriculture sector,” Park concluded.