Water is a first
sign of life, and one of our most precious natural resources. But
in many parts of the world it is becoming a scarcity, such as in
areas of the Middle East where centuries of dry desert conditions
have made water a highly valued commodity.

Things may be changing, however, and the dream of turning desert
sands into blooming gardens could be a step closer to reality.

In Abu Dhabi, which this week is hosting the World Future Energy
Summit, media reports are circulating about a previously secret
series of experiments by a Swiss company - Meteo Systems
International - that has been working secretly for United Arab
Emirates leader Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan on technology
that harvests atmospheric humidity.

The company’s Weathertec technology involves arrays of 33-foot
(10-meter) electric towers that produce negatively charged ions,
according to the company.  These negatively charged ions bond
with tiny dust particles ever-present in the desert region
atmosphere.

In turn, these charged particles rise through natural convection
currents and on reaching the right height for cloud formation, they
attract water molecules floating in the air which start to condense
around them.

It has been reported that upwards of fifty rainstorms were
created last year in the state’s eastern Al Ain region using this
technology, mainly during July and August when usually there is no
rain at all. People living in Abu Dhabi report the rainfall
sometimes turned into hail.

Helmut Fluhrer, founder of the Swiss company in charge of the
project Meteo Systems, ever mindful of the potentially valuable
technology, said simply “We have achieved a number of
rainfalls.

As noted on the company’s website, some 19% of global water is
contained in the atmosphere as water vapor, and this potential
supply of fresh water is increasing as the temperature of the earth
also unfortunately increases.

“This means that the amount of water in the air to be mined as
rain is actually increasing, so there is no danger of using up this
huge airborne water storage bin.”

Further, the company notes, under normal conditions water will
fall as precipitation in the right amounts and the right places.
The challenge of the company’s Weathertec technology is to make
this happen when and where it is most needed.

On paper the potential profits are enormous. Compared to a
desalination plant which could cost hundreds of millions of dollars
to build and operate, the Weathertec technology could create water
at a fraction of the price.

A Long History of Ionization

The use of ionization to create rain is not new. The Technical
University of Munich’s director of advanced studies on
sustainability, Peter Wilderer, quoted in a href=”http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/”
target=”_blank”>National Geographic News article, said people
have been attempting ionization techniques for decades.

“The ionization technology was first mentioned in 1890 by
[Nikola] Tesla. In 1946 General Electric executed some field trials
under the leadership of [Bernard] Vonnegut [brother of novelist
Kurt Vonnegut]. Later the technology was used for military purposes
in the former Soviet Union.”

Other scientists discount the claims of instant storms in the
desert. The scepticism is fuelled by the company’s reluctance to
share data or to reveal more about the underlying technology.

Still. If it works even to some extent, it could be the answer
to the centuries old search for a solution to
desertification.  According to Professor Wilderer we may be a
step closer to the point where we can increase the availability of
fresh water to all in a time of dramatic changes to the global
climate.