The global zero liquid discharge market was valued at US$ 674.54 Mn in 2017 and is anticipated to expand at a CAGR of around 12% from 2018 to 2026, according to a new research report, published by Transparency Market Research (TMR) titled Zero Liquid Discharge Market Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends, and Forecast, 20182026. Zero liquid discharge is a wastewater treatment technique, wherein around 95%99% of wastewater is recovered for reuse. Since the technique recovers almost all water from the wastewater stream, no liquid is discharged at the end of the process, leaving only the solid residue behind. The process comprises several steps such as reverse osmosis, ultrafiltration, fractional electrode ionization, and evaporation & crystallization. ZLD plants are designed in accordance with composition of the wastewater stream, the flow rate to be handled by the system, and volume of contaminants present in the stream. These plants are designed to handle fluctuations in any of the above factors while providing effective and efficient services.
Strict Environment-related Regulations Likely to Drive Zero Liquid Discharge Market
Regulatory authorities and environment-related agencies are imposing strict regulations and laws on the disposal of industrial wastewater. They are installing ZLD plants, especially in industries generating large amounts of wastewater. Scarcity of freshwater sources is another driver of the Zero Liquid Discharge Market. With only 3% of the total available water being fresh water, freshwater sources are under high stress, due to increasing demand for water from communities and the industrial sector. Therefore, industries are implementing ZLD in order to reuse water from wastewater streams and reduce their demand for freshwater. Rising power generation capacities are also estimated to drive the demand for ZLD in the near future. Power plants, being one of the major water polluters, have started implementing ZLD to reuse water for boiler, cooling, and other non-potable applications. Recovery of useful chemicals and minerals from leftover solid residue after water recovery is another major diver of the market. However, high capital and operating costs of ZLD plants can prove to be a restraint of the market in the near future. Since a large amount of energy is required for their operation, operating costs of ZLD plants are high. This can hamper the rate of installation of these plants in small-scale industries.
Ongoing efforts for using less energy-intensive technology are expected to provide new opportunities to the Zero Liquid Discharge Market in the next few years. Technological advancements to reduce the amount of energy required for the ZLD process are continuing. End-user industries are trying innovative methods to decrease overall energy costs so as to reduce their operating costs.
Energy & Power Segment Expected to Lead Global Zero Liquid Discharge Market
In terms of end-user industry, the zero liquid discharge market has been classified into energy & power, food & beverages, chemicals & petrochemicals, textile, pharmaceuticals, and others. Energy & power was a dominant segment, accounting for over 40% of the market share, in terms of value, in 2017. The segment is expected to maintain its dominance during the forecast period. However, the chemicals & petrochemicals segment is projected to expand at a rapid pace during the forecast period.
Rise in Demand from End-user Industries in Asia Pacific to drive the Market in the Region
In terms of region, the global zero liquid discharge market has been segmented into North America, Latin America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and Middle East & Africa. Asia Pacific held a leading share of more than 40% of the global market in 2017. This can be attributed to high demand for ZLD from end-user industries in the region such as energy & power and chemicals & petrochemicals, especially in developing countries such as China and India. The market in the region is expected to expand at a rapid pace during the forecast period, primarily due to the implementation of stringent regulations imposed on industrial wastewater disposal and diminishing sources of freshwater led by increasing pollution in Asia Pacific, especially in China and India.
Highly Competitive Market with Presence of Several Local Players
Key players operating in the global zero liquid discharge market and covered in this report are Aquatech International LLC, Veolia, GEA Group Aktiengesellschaft, SUEZ, ENCON Evaporators, AQUARION AG, 3V Green Eagle S.p.A., Thermax Global, Oasys Water, Praj Industries, Kelvin Water Technologies Pvt. Ltd., Transparent Energy System Private Ltd., Austro Chemicals & Bio Technologies Pvt Ltd, Bionics Advanced Filtration Systems (P) Ltd., Dew Envirotech Pvt. Ltd, Arvind Envisol Limited, and ALFA LAVAL.
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