Olympia Odos is one of the most important national strategic projects for Greece. The use of modern technologies to protect the environment and to manage energy is part of the strategy of Olympia Odos for environmentally sustainable road infrastructure. Within the framework of this nomination, we present our initiative to produce water from the air.
Olympia Odos SA always aims at constantly improving the experience of the travelers while using the motorway. In 2020, it financed and installed a self-sufficient in terms of energy system for the production of drinking water from the air at the parking area of Panorama-Kineta (50.8th km in the traffic in the direction to Athens), an ambitious program to upgrade the travel experience that has a positive environmental impact.
The only project of this type in Greece where the innovative technology of SOURCEΤΜ Hydropanels has been used has achieved the following important results:
- Daily production: approximately 10 lt of fresh drinking water;
- Full energy independence for the production and chilling of water;
- Zero environmental footprint
Olympia Odos identified a great opportunity: Although the motorway has many parking areas and WCs, there was no possibility to supply drinking water. The water available was coming from wells and presented unsafe levels of contaminants or the pipes were not appropriate for potable water.
An innovative solution: “Water from the air”.
The project is eloquently titled "Water from the air" and is a fully energy-self sufficient application. The two SOURCETM Hydropanels installed on the roof of the car parking construction convert atmospheric moisture into drinking water, solely with the help of the sun.
The solar energy causes evaporation of the collected water vapor and provides the energy required to drive the mechanical components of the system via an integrated battery. The water vapor is then led to the condenser, where it is liquefied and the collected water is stored in the special containers of the Hydropanels. There it is enriched with the necessary minerals and becomes suitable for drinking. Moreover, the addition of ozone ensures that its high quality characteristics are maintained during storage.
The installed water cooler, which is used to supply cool water to travelers during the hottest days of the year, is also powered exclusively by solar energy. Thanks to additional solar panels and a second battery, the system can and does operate regardless of sunshine at any time of the day, making the entire installation environmentally friendly.
The addition of the water cooler is an initiative of Olympia Odos, as it is not provided for in the manufacturer's model solution. Following the necessary adjustments and the support of IDATOR SA, the device can produce up to 10 liters of fresh, potable, cool water per day, without consuming any electricity from the grid.
Thanks to the SOURCE electronic application, stocks are directly monitored, humidity and sunshine levels are recorded, and water enrichment process and adjustment of the operating mode are controlled. For example, when there are no ideal weather conditions (low sunshine, frost, etc.), the rate of water production and storage in the special containers can be reduced so that the battery will not be completely drained. Moreover, the special "green" indicator ensures that the available water is of high quality.
SOURCE™ is a non-extractive water source and is the only, high-tech, stand-alone renewable drinking water production system. The Olympia Odos application is a world first. It is the only application where the entire operation - i.e. installation of Hydropanels and cooler- distributes high quality drinking water exclusively from solar energy.
