TY - JOUR
T1 - Fog-water collection for community use
AU - Fessehaye, Mussie
AU - Abdul-Wahab, Sabah A.
AU - Savage, Michael J.
AU - Kohler, Thomas
AU - Gherezghiher, Tseggai
AU - Hurni, Hans
N1 - Funding Information:
We acknowledge the financial and material support provided to this study by the Centre for Development and Environment (CDE), University of Bern, Switzerland . We acknowledge the professional assistance of Professor Schemenauer RS (FogQuest, Sustainable Water Solutions, Kamloops, Canada). The authors also acknowledge the donor (Water Foundation, Germany) of the fog project in Eritrea and its implementing partners (Vision Eritrea, Water Resources Department and Zonal Administrations). We appreciate the assistance of the International Development Research Centre in Canada for their online library service. We express our gratitude to scientists and researchers in different countries for their sincere co-operation and sharing of their experiences in fog-water collection. The comments of two anonymous reviewers are also greatly acknowledged.
PY - 2014
Y1 - 2014
N2 - Fog is a potential source of water that could be exploited using the innovative technology of fog collection. Naturally, the potential of fog has proven its significance in cloud forests that are thriving from fog interception. Historically, the remains of artificial structures in different countries prove that fog has been collected as an alternative and/or supplementary water source. In the beginning of the 19th century, fog collection was investigated as a potential natural resource. After the mid-1980s, following success in Chile, fog-water collection commenced in a number of developing countries. Most of these countries are located in arid and semi-arid regions with topographic and climatic conditions that favour fog-water collection. This paper reviews the technology of fog collection with initial background information on natural fog collection and its historical development. It reviews the climatic and topographic features that dictate fog formation (mainly advection and orographic) and the innovative technology to collect it, focusing on the amount collected, the quality of fog water, and the impact of the technology on the livelihoods of beneficiary communities. By and large, the technology described is simple, cost-effective, and energy-free. However, fog-water collection has disadvantages in that it is seasonal, localised, and the technology needs continual maintenance. Based on the experience in several countries, the sustainability of the technology could be guaranteed if technical, economic, social, and management factors are addressed during its planning and implementation.
AB - Fog is a potential source of water that could be exploited using the innovative technology of fog collection. Naturally, the potential of fog has proven its significance in cloud forests that are thriving from fog interception. Historically, the remains of artificial structures in different countries prove that fog has been collected as an alternative and/or supplementary water source. In the beginning of the 19th century, fog collection was investigated as a potential natural resource. After the mid-1980s, following success in Chile, fog-water collection commenced in a number of developing countries. Most of these countries are located in arid and semi-arid regions with topographic and climatic conditions that favour fog-water collection. This paper reviews the technology of fog collection with initial background information on natural fog collection and its historical development. It reviews the climatic and topographic features that dictate fog formation (mainly advection and orographic) and the innovative technology to collect it, focusing on the amount collected, the quality of fog water, and the impact of the technology on the livelihoods of beneficiary communities. By and large, the technology described is simple, cost-effective, and energy-free. However, fog-water collection has disadvantages in that it is seasonal, localised, and the technology needs continual maintenance. Based on the experience in several countries, the sustainability of the technology could be guaranteed if technical, economic, social, and management factors are addressed during its planning and implementation.
KW - Climatic and topographical conditions
KW - Fog formation
KW - Fog-water use
KW - History of fog collection
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U2 - 10.1016/j.rser.2013.08.063
DO - 10.1016/j.rser.2013.08.063
M3 - Review article
AN - SCOPUS:84884547001
SN - 1364-0321
VL - 29
SP - 52
EP - 62
JO - Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews
JF - Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews
ER -