Its not often that a self-sufficient machine is created, which can remotely provide three essential functions. However, Watly believes that it has created such a devise, and has launched an Indiegogo campaign today to raise the final funds it needs to consolidate its technological proposition.

The Watly 3.0 is a water sanitizing and electricity generating computer that is powered entirely by solar energy. It can sanitize 5,000 liters of water a day  3 million liters of water a year  while also generating off-grid electricity that powers its internal electronics and can recharge external devices.

If thats not enough, its built-in router allows people access to the internet. Watly 3.0 has three important functionalities: water, power and connectivity, which are three of the most fundamental things that are needed in many parts of the world, Marco A. Attisani, Watly Founder and CEO, told pv magazine.

The machine is an impressive marriage between two solar technologies, working side-by-side and in tandem. The solar heat is used for vapor compression distillation, which can sanitize any water, no matter how dirty, while the PV panels on the roof of the machine generate the power needed for the internal electrics.

The excess electricity generated can be used to recharge external devices, while various other add-ons, such as a 3D printer or a cooling system can be fitted to the computer.

The two solar technologies actually complement one another. The water is used to cool the solar PV panels so that it can function at optimum efficiency, and they then warm up the water to help the thermal solar system, continued Attisani.

Prototypes of the Watly 3.0 have been running for the last 3 years, while the official trial took place in Abenta Village, Ghana, with impressive results. This earned Watly four EU Horizon 2020, awards, which gave the project a total of 2 million in funding. This initial investment has allowed the company to build the pre-industrial version, but the Indiegogo campaign is to raise funds to expand the project.

Attisani told pv magazine that he has high ambitions for the Watly 3.0. The ultimate goal is that enough Watly 3.0 machines are built to create their own network, and then from that their own grid. These could be physically connected by small pipelines, that are just 1 km in length.

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