How Big Is the Membrane Distillation Market?
According to 6Wresearch internal database and industry insights, the membrane distillation market was valued at USD 360.4 million in 2024 and is expected to reach USD 894.2 million by 2031, growing at a CAGR of 13.7% during the forecast period.
The driving factors of growth include water shortage, a new acceptance of sustainable desalination methods, and an increasing number of high-purity industries paying more for high-purity water in sectors such as pharmaceuticals and food processing. The market is driven by the low-energy, thermally driven separation process of membrane distillation, which is acceptable for treating hypersaline water.
Growth Factors of the Membrane Distillation Market
- Growing global freshwater shortage and desalination needs
- Industrial focus on zero liquid discharge (ZLD) solutions
- Demand for ultrapure water in pharma, electronics, and food sectors
- Advantages over reverse osmosis for high-salinity water treatment
- Increasing availability of low-grade heat energy sources
- Government regulations on wastewater reuse and effluent control
Membrane Distillation Market Trends
The membrane distillation market is seeing trends including hybrid systems that combine membrane distillation with reverse osmosis or forward osmosis, to increase recovery rates and improve operating costs. Industries are implementing solar-assisted membrane distillation units for desalination, in off-grid or remote areas.
Vendors in the membrane distillation market are also developing new advancements for membrane materials such as electrospun nanofibers and superhydrophobic coatings to enhance flux, provide enhanced anti-wetting, and better chemical resistance.
Emerging Developments in the Membrane Distillation Market
Emerging advancements in the membrane distillation market include newly-designed membrane modules, tailored for modular skid-mounted systems that are easy to scale and maintain. Researchers are seeking to couple membrane distillation with thermal vapor compression, generating more energy-efficient solutions for industrial application.
There is also increasing venture capital supporting AI-enabled remote monitoring platforms for membrane distillation systems focusing on predicting fouling and optimizing cleaning cycles. Also, companies are bringing membrane distillation technologies to market that focus specifically on lithium recovery from brines and wastewater valorization in mining.
Leading Companies in the Membrane Distillation Market
- Aquatech International
- SUEZ Water Technologies & Solutions
- Koch Separation Solutions
- Veolia Water Technologies
- Solar Water Solutions
- Memsift Innovations
- Aquaporin A/S
- Thermodistillation LLC
- Scarab Development AB
- Membrane Distillation Inc.
How Big Is the Membrane Distillation Market : FAQ's
The membrane distillation market was valued at USD 360.4 million in 2024 and is projected to reach USD 894.2 million by 2031, growing at a CAGR of 13.7%.
Key drivers include water scarcity, demand for ultrapure water, industrial ZLD needs, and low-energy desalination alternatives.
Trends include hybrid systems, solar-assisted setups, nanofiber membranes, and membrane distillation in mining and municipal recycling.
Leading companies include Aquatech, SUEZ, Koch Separation, Veolia, Aquaporin, and Memsift.
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