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Solid Rain

ENTRY DATE: 03.05.2015 | LAST UPDATE: 03.05.2015

CATEGORIES:

  • Water Resources
  • Rainwater use
  • Runoff control

TECHNOLOGIES MATURITY:

Ongoing research 

Technology Owners:

  • Solid Rain – www. solid-rain.com
  • Inventor, Mexican chemical engineer called Sergio Jesus Rico Velasco – developed a US made material and adapted it to make it suitable for soil application and feeding of crops

Needs Address

  • Supply of fresh water for plants for a long period of time
  • Alternative water use technologies
  • Conservation of water resources

Adaptation effects

  • Increases crop yield, hence contributing to food security and increased income
  • Decreases the use of fresh water for crops
  • Optimizes irrigation

Overview and Features

Solid Rain is a potassium based powder which is capable of absorbing water up to 500 times its size. It acts as an underground reservoir that can retain water in the roots of any plant. The retained water is then slowly dispersed in the soil, keeping it constantly hydrated. Solid Rain also helps encapsulate all the water that would regularly evaporate, making water available to any plant even in times of drought for up to 8 years.

Cost

Recommended use is 50kg per hectare, which costs approximately 1,500 USD

Energy source

  • Human labour
  • Energy to produce solid rain

Ease of maintenance

Need to reapply after use

Technology performance

  • Research has indicated potential for a three-fold increase in crop yield.
  • In India, cotton farmers have reported India’s fruit and cotton farmers reported a 95 per cent less water use in their farming activities, going from 960 to 50 litres in a three month period
  • Potassium options are likely to last longer than sodium options

Considerations

Some dispute as to their effectiveness, including suggestion that it can also remove water from plant roots as it become more absorptive when the gel begins to dry out

Co-benefit, suitability for developing countries

  • Contributes to food security
  • Accessibility and affordability can present a barrier – solid rain is currently only commercially sold in the USA

Information Resources

Hirsch, J. 2013. Can Powdered Water Cure Droughts? Modern Farmer. Available from: http://modernfarmer.com/2013/07/powdered-water-just-add-water/ [13 January 2015]

Mc Grath, 2013. Can 'powdered rain' make drought a thing of the past? BBC News. Available from: http://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-23715031 [13 January 2015]