Solar Water Desalination Plant Global Market Report 2024

The solar water desalination plant market size has grown strongly in recent years. It will grow from $2.61 billion in 2023 to $2.85 billion in 2024 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 9%. The rise during the historical period can be ascribed to the expanding Agriculture Industry, escalating global water scarcity and demand for freshwater resources, burgeoning population and urbanization resulting in elevated water consumption, surging global need for fresh water, and heightened utilization of solar energy.

The solar water desalination plant market size is expected to see strong growth in the next few years. It will grow to $3.83 billion in 2028 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 7.7%. The anticipated growth in the forecast period can be linked to the escalating water scarcity and demand for freshwater, increasing focus on environmental sustainability and the imperative to curtail greenhouse gas emissions, the intermittent nature of energy sources, mounting environmental pollution, and the expanding adoption of green energy. Key trends in the forecast period comprise technological progressions, advancements in solar technology, the rising adoption of smart technologies in solar water heaters, the integration of solar desalination with energy storage solutions for uninterrupted operation, and ongoing research and development efforts aimed at enhancing the efficiency and scalability of solar desalination.

The solar water desalination plant market is poised for growth as a result of increasing water scarcity and freshwater demand. Factors driving this trend include population growth, urbanization, climate change, water pollution, inefficient water use, economic development, and inadequate infrastructure. Solar water desalination plants utilize renewable solar energy to convert seawater into fresh water, offering a sustainable and dependable water supply in regions with limited access to freshwater sources. For instance, as reported by the United Nations in March 2023, nearly 1 billion urban residents worldwide currently face water scarcity, a figure projected to increase to between 1.7 billion and 2.4 billion by 2050. Thus, the escalating water scarcity and demand for freshwater are driving the expansion of the solar water desalination plant market.

Key players in the solar water desalination plant market are focusing on developing innovative technologies and systems with higher water-production and salt-rejection rates to enhance profitability. Increased water-production rates signify greater efficiency and productivity, while higher salt-rejection rates indicate reduced concentrations of residual salts in treated water. For example, in September 2023, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) introduced a solar-powered desalination device utilizing a completely passive system. This system, which features multiple layers of flat solar evaporators and condensers aligned in a vertical array and insulated with transparent aerogel, avoids salt-clogging issues by utilizing natural convection. This innovative approach ensures high performance and reliability, even in extreme conditions, offering a promising solution to water scarcity, especially in developing nations.

In September 2022, the Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA), in partnership with Desolenator, aimed to contribute to the solar water desalination plant market by developing a sustainable, carbon-neutral water purification and desalination system powered by solar thermal energy. This partnership aligns with DEWA's commitment to finding proactive, sustainable, and innovative solutions for water desalination. Desolenator, a start-up based in the Netherlands, specializes in providing technology for solar water desalination plants.

Major companies operating in the solar water desalination plant market are TotalEnergies SE, Tesla Inc., Toray Industries Inc., Acciona S.A., Suez SA, Andritz AG, OMya International AG, Abengoa S.A., Waaree Energies Ltd., Photon Energy Systems Limited, Hyflux Ltd., AMP Energy, IDE Technologies, Sterlitech Corporation, Avista tech, LG Water Solutions, Solar Spring GmbH, Trunz Water Systems AG, Sinovoltaics Group, Technol Protoroz d o o, Vontron Membrane Technology, Aquatech International LLC, Desolenator Labs, Elemental Water Makers B.V., F Cubed Limited, Solar Water Solutions Ltd., Solaropia.

Asia-Pacific was the largest region in the solar water desalination plant market in 2023. It is expected to be the fastest-growing region in the forecast period. The regions covered in the solar water desalination plant market report are Asia-Pacific, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, North America, South America, Middle East, Africa. The countries covered in the solar water desalination plant market report are Australia, Brazil, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Japan, Russia, South Korea, UK, USA, Canada, Italy, Spain.

A solar desalination facility utilizes solar power to extract salt and other contaminants from seawater or saline sources, rendering it suitable for human consumption, agricultural applications, or industrial use. These plants offer a sustainable solution to water scarcity challenges by harnessing renewable solar energy to produce freshwater from saline sources.

Solar water desalination plants employ various membrane processes, including solar-powered reverse osmosis, nano-filtration, electro-dialysis, electro-dialysis reversal, membrane distillation, and others. Solar-powered reverse osmosis (RO) involves using solar energy to drive the desalination process through reverse osmosis. Different desalination methods such as solar-powered humidification-dehumidification (HDH), solar diffusion-driven, concentrated solar power (CSP)-based, and solar ponds are employed across plants of different capacities, small (below 1 MLD), medium (1 MLD - 10 MLD), and large (above 10 MLD). These plants cater to various end-user industries including industrial, agricultural, residential, commercial, and municipal sectors.

The solar desalination plant market research report is one of a series of new reports that provides solar desalination plant market statistics, including solar desalination plant industry global market size, regional shares, competitors with a solar desalination plant market share, detailed solar desalination plant market segments, market trends and opportunities, and any further data you may need to thrive in the solar desalination plant industry. This solar desalination plant market research report delivers a complete perspective of everything you need, with an in-depth analysis of the current and future scenario of the industry.

The solar water desalination plant market consists of revenues earned by entities by providing services such as design and engineering, installation and construction, technology supply, monitoring and remote management, and consulting and advisory. The market value includes the value of related goods sold by the service provider or included within the service offering. The solar water desalination plant market also includes sales of solar panels, pumps, a desalination unit, storage tanks, a distribution system, monitoring and control systems, a backup power system, and a water intake and discharge system. Values in this market are ‘factory gate’ values, that is the value of goods sold by the manufacturers or creators of the goods, whether to other entities (including downstream manufacturers, wholesalers, distributors and retailers) or directly to end customers. The value of goods in this market includes related services sold by the creators of the goods.

The market value is defined as the revenues that enterprises gain from the sale of goods and/or services within the specified market and geography through sales, grants, or donations in terms of the currency (in USD, unless otherwise specified).

The revenues for a specified geography are consumption values that are revenues generated by organizations in the specified geography within the market, irrespective of where they are produced. It does not include revenues from resales along the supply chain, either further along the supply chain or as part of other products.


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