His main goal in life is to contribute to humanity and the environment by developing new technology for extracting water from atmospheric moisture. Max Hidalgo Quinto (Huancavelica, Peru, 1990) is a young researcher who has already won several awards and whose noble aim, as he explains, is “to provide access to this vital resource in places where it is difficult or impossible to do so using traditional methods.” What’s more, the technology he has developed “could be part of one of the alternatives that we will need in the face of the looming water shortages that we will experience in the coming years,” says the Peruvian biologist.
This is no small achievement, as evidenced by the fact that he received an award from the United Nations in 2020 for his Yawa project. The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) selected him as one of the seven best scientists, engineers, entrepreneurs and activists from around the world to receive the Young Champions of the Earth 2020 award, the UN’s environmental prize to highlight the work of the new generation of environmental defenders.
What’s new about his discovery? “Yawa differs from existing technologies in its water harvesting mechanism, which is based on air flow, pressure and temperature. It is also versatile enough to be implemented in different locations, taking advantage of renewable energies,” explains Hidalgo.
“The water harvesting mechanism that I have devised is different in that it is based on air flow, pressure and temperature.”
He has his own personal vision of the lessons we can learn from nature if we observe it carefully. Needless to say, this requires having the proper knowledge. “Coming from a background in the biological sciences, I have been amazed by studies of the mechanisms of natural beings that have worked for thousands of years. By imitating them, we can create new technologies that are also likely to work,” he says. “It is possible to find solutions to major problems such as hunger, access to water and sanitation, energy, and so on. I am increasingly convinced that the answers humanity needs are to be found in nature.”
“The answers that humanity needs are to be found in nature.”
The idea for Yawa came about when Max Hidalgo was conducting water quality studies in a human settlement in Chosica, Lima, Peru. He recounts his experience: “Through this study I learned that the water coming from the tanker trucks in this community was not fit for human consumption. I also heard about the situation in many communities, some of which have been struggling to get access to drinking water for more than 20 years. I wanted to create a solution that could provide access to water locally, using sustainable natural resources such as atmospheric moisture and renewable energy.”
Today, “rising temperatures are generating a greater demand for water for agriculture, industry and domestic use, exacerbating the pressure on water resources,” he says. “Climate change is leading us to a complex scenario in which sustainable water management is becoming increasingly necessary and critical,” he warns.
“It would be worthwhile to develop policies to create a new educational model to make children and young people more aware of all this.”
The technology he has developed in Yawa is recommended for areas where it is impossible to have a water source through conventional systems, Hidalgo explains. “In order to predict the amount of water that can be obtained, a preliminary analysis is carried out based on the temperature (10 to 40°C), relative humidity (>35%) and wind speed (>3.0m/s). Each site will have a different capture percentage due to the convergence of these factors,” he explains.
Hidalgo argues that “it would be worthwhile to develop policies to create a new educational model for children and young people, as this stage is fundamental in the formation of increasingly conscious human beings. With an education based not on competition but on collaboration, which would promote a more sustainable future,” he adds.
“Working with communities allowed me to learn about Andean and Amazonian knowledge, which helped me have a vision of unity between human beings and nature, and thus promote socially and environmentally aware and progressive business.”
In his professional career, there have been moments that have particularly marked him. He highlights various fieldwork projects he carried out in communities. “Thanks to them, I was able to learn about Andean and Amazonian knowledge passed down from our ancestors, which helped me to have a vision of unity between human beings and nature. This knowledge now allows me to promote conscious business, which we need in a new dynamic of progress with respect for nature.”
This young talent still has a long way to go and many new technologies to develop. His challenge and professional goal for the next few years is to promote the two companies he has created so far. There is Yawa, the platform of new technologies for water sustainability, which aims to implement tailor-made solutions for access, efficient use and treatment of water. But he has also launched Ruway, “an e-commerce business to promote eco-friendly products, distributed with sustainable packaging and a socio-environmental purpose.” As we have seen, this researcher and entrepreneur is an example of how to focus on transferring knowledge for the betterment of society. And, by his own admission, he has only just begun.
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