Yawa: an ecological turbine made from recycled materials

Yawa is an innovative wind turbine that transforms humidity in the air into drinkable water: conceived by the Peruvian Max Hidalgo Quinto, this ecological invention could help millions of people to combat water scarcity and improve agriculture in the most arid areas

Water shortage is not the preserve of Global South countries. The World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) reports that 20% of Europe’s land and 30% of its population suffer from water stress every year. In response to this escalating problem, new technology has been created, such as Yawa, a device created by young Peruvian scientist Max Hidalgo Quinto. This groundbreaking piece of equipment has the capacity to generate as much as 79 gallons (300 liters) of drinkable water per day by simply harvesting the humidity in the air.

Yawa: A green turbine that is made with recycled parts

When designing Yawa, Hidalgo Quinto did not only take into consideration the effectiveness of the machine but also sustainability. While trying to make the project environmentally friendly, he chose to use recycled parts, less plastic. Yawa’s windmill used air, sucked out water and transformed it to drinking water. With this technology, the machine offers a real solution to water supply in drought-prone areas or regions that are not well covered by safe sources of water.

One of the greatest applications of Yawa is agricultural irrigation. With this technology, crops can be grown in places where long periods of drought have occurred, increasing harvests and reducing food scarcity.

An international recognition: the Young Champions of the Earth award

Max Hidalgo Quinto‘s achievement was not overlooked. In 2020, the young researcher received the prestigious Young Champions of the Earth award from the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). The award recognizes the most innovative green project developed by young entrepreneurs from around the world.

Change doesn’t necessarily need to be wrought by extremely cutting-edge technologies, Hidalgo proposes, but by unassuming, sustainable technologies. Not only does Yawa provide drinking water, it’s also a case of social innovation, improving the health of many communities.

The invention would help 33 countries in addressing projected water crises by 2040. In a UN interview, the inventor challenged young people to come up with new ideas, citing that innovation can actually change history.