Atoco Uses Metal-Organic Frameworks to Harvest Water from Data Center Waste Heat
Atoco, a startup based in Irvine, California, unveiled a 20-foot device designed to extract water from the atmosphere utilizing metal-organic frameworks (MOFs). This innovative technology operates on low-level industrial heat, making it suitable for repurposing waste heat generated by AI data centers. Founder Omar Yaghi, recognized for his contributions to MOFs, received the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 2025. According to CEO Samer Taha, there is significant potential in AI data centers. The prototype can produce as much as 300 liters of water each day, leveraging heat from a 20-kilowatt data center. Atoco plans to launch a commercial version that can yield 1,000 liters daily and is currently conducting five prototype trials in the US and Gulf Cooperation Council, with orders anticipated by the end of the year. Several major tech companies are exploring pilot initiatives. Atoco's water pricing stands at $5 per metric ton, which is competitive yet higher than that of newer desalination plants. However, MOFs have not yet been tested on a large scale.
Key facts
- Atoco is an Irvine, California-based startup that has developed a water-harvesting device using metal-organic frameworks (MOFs).
- The technology requires only low-level industrial heat, such as waste heat from AI data centers, to release water from the MOFs.
- Omar Yaghi, the company's founder, won the 2025 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for his work on MOFs.
- The parking lot prototype can generate up to 300 liters of water per day and runs on heat equivalent to a 20-kilowatt data center.
- Atoco has deployed five on-grid prototype trials with partners in the US and the Gulf Cooperation Council.
- The company hopes to begin taking orders for its first product by the end of this year and is in talks with major tech companies for pilot projects at data centers.
- Microsoft, Google, and Amazon Web Services have committed to being water positive by 2030.
- Atoco says it can produce water at a levelized cost of $5 per metric ton, but newer desalination facilities can deliver water at $2 per ton or less, a target Atoco is three to five years away from hitting.
Entities
Artists
- Omar Yaghi
- Samer Taha
- Seth Cohen
- Benjie Limketkai
Institutions
- Atoco
- University of California, Irvine
- School of Physical Sciences at UC Irvine
- Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency
- Microsoft
- Amazon Web Services
- Gulf Cooperation Council
- WIRED
Locations
- Irvine
- California
- United States
- Jordan