PUBLISHER: Global Market Insights Inc. | PRODUCT CODE: 1928974
PUBLISHER: Global Market Insights Inc. | PRODUCT CODE: 1928974
Solar Water Desalination Plant Market Opportunity, Growth Drivers, Industry Trend Analysis, and Forecast 2026 - 2035
The Global Solar Water Desalination Plant Market was valued at USD 2.8 billion in 2025 and is estimated to grow at a CAGR of 10% to reach USD 7 billion by 2035.
The strong growth reflects intensifying pressure on global freshwater resources and the increasing need for sustainable water generation solutions. Solar desalination systems convert saline water into usable freshwater by leveraging thermal energy, positioning them as an environmentally aligned alternative to conventional treatment technologies. Rising awareness around resource conservation and long-term water security continues to accelerate adoption across multiple regions. Technological progress has improved system efficiency, reduced material usage, and enhanced overall performance, making solar desalination increasingly viable at scale. Despite these advances, high upfront investment requirements remain a key challenge compared to traditional filtration-based approaches. However, continued innovation, falling component costs, and supportive policy frameworks are gradually improving economic feasibility. Public-sector backing and long-term sustainability goals are expected to reinforce market momentum, enabling solar desalination to play a meaningful role in addressing the widening global gap between freshwater supply and demand.
| Market Scope | |
|---|---|
| Start Year | 2025 |
| Forecast Year | 2026-2035 |
| Start Value | $2.8 Billion |
| Forecast Value | $7 Billion |
| CAGR | 10% |
The solar thermal desalination generated USD 1.6 billion in 2025 and is forecast to reach USD 4.1 billion by 2035. These systems utilize direct solar heat to drive thermal separation processes and deliver higher operational efficiency while maintaining lower energy input requirements. Their cost advantages and scalability continue to support widespread adoption across global desalination capacity.
The medium-scale systems accounted for 42% share in 2025. Growth in this segment is driven by their adaptability to varying water conditions and their ability to address localized supply requirements. Flexible system design improves deployment efficiency while strengthening water availability and supply reliability.
United States Solar Water Desalination Plant Market held 77.3% share in 2025. Increasing water stress, combined with strong public investment and renewable energy incentives, continues to accelerate deployment. Ongoing infrastructure funding and decarbonization initiatives further support market expansion.
Key companies active in the Global Solar Water Desalination Plant Market include Acciona, IDE Technologies, Aquatech, Boreal Light, Osmosun, Desolenator, Aquastill, Condorchem Envitech, Memsys, Solar Water Solutions, SolarDew, Solar Water, Elemental Water Makers, ForeverPure Corporation, and Empereal Energy and Services. Companies operating in the Solar Water Desalination Plant Market focus on strengthening their competitive position through technology optimization, modular system development, and strategic partnerships. Investment in research and development helps improve efficiency, reduce system complexity, and lower lifecycle costs. Firms emphasize scalable designs to address varying capacity requirements while expanding deployment flexibility. Collaboration with governments and infrastructure agencies supports project financing and long-term adoption. Geographic expansion into water-stressed regions enhances growth opportunities.
Table of Contents
Chapter 1 Methodology & Scope
- 1.1 Market scope and definition
- 1.2 Research design
- 1.2.1 Research approach
- 1.2.2 Data collection methods
- 1.3 Data mining sources
- 1.3.1 Global
- 1.3.2 Regional/Country
- 1.4 Base estimates and calculations
- 1.4.1 Base year calculation
- 1.4.2 Key trends for market estimation
- 1.5 Primary research and validation
- 1.5.1 Primary sources
- 1.6 Forecast model
- 1.7 Research assumptions and limitations
Chapter 2 Executive Summary
- 2.1 Industry 3600 synopsis
- 2.2 Key market trends
- 2.2.1 Regional
- 2.2.2 Technology type
- 2.2.3 Cooling capacity
- 2.2.4 Solar integration model
- 2.2.5 End use
- 2.3 CXO perspectives: Strategic imperatives
- 2.3.1 Key decision points for industry executives
- 2.3.2 Critical success factors for market players
- 2.4 Future outlook and strategic recommendations
Chapter 3 Industry Insights
- 3.1 Industry ecosystem analysis
- 3.1.1 Supplier landscape
- 3.1.2 Profit margin
- 3.1.3 Value addition at each stage
- 3.1.4 Factor affecting the value chain
- 3.2 Industry impact forces
- 3.2.1 Growth drivers
- 3.2.1.1 Increasing demand of freshwater
- 3.2.1.2 Rising water scarcity
- 3.2.1.3 Rapid technology advancement
- 3.2.2 Industry pitfalls & challenges
- 3.2.2.1 High initial investment and intensive maintenance requirement
- 3.2.2.2 Intermittency and operational challenges
- 3.2.3 Opportunities
- 3.2.3.1 Strong demand for sustainable, low-carbon water solutions
- 3.2.3.2 Technological advancements and cost declines
- 3.2.1 Growth drivers
- 3.3 Growth potential analysis
- 3.4 Future market trends
- 3.5 Technology and innovation landscape
- 3.5.1 Current technological trends
- 3.5.2 Emerging technologies
- 3.6 Price trends
- 3.6.1 By technology type
- 3.6.2 By region
- 3.7 Regulatory landscape
- 3.7.1 Standards and compliance requirements
- 3.7.2 Regional regulatory frameworks
- 3.7.3 Certification standards
- 3.8 Trade statistics
- 3.8.1 Major importing countries
- 3.8.2 Major exporting countries
- 3.9 Gap analysis
- 3.10 Risk assessment and mitigation
- 3.11 Porter';s analysis
- 3.12 PESTEL analysis
Chapter 4 Competitive Landscape, 2025
- 4.1 Introduction
- 4.2 Company market share analysis
- 4.2.1 By region
- 4.2.1.1 North America
- 4.2.1.2 Europe
- 4.2.1.3 Asia Pacific
- 4.2.1.4 Latin America
- 4.2.1.5 Middle East and Africa
- 4.2.1 By region
- 4.3 Company matrix analysis
- 4.4 Competitive analysis of major market players
- 4.5 Competitive positioning matrix
- 4.6 Key developments
- 4.6.1 Mergers & acquisitions
- 4.6.2 Partnerships & collaborations
- 4.6.3 New product launches
- 4.6.4 Expansion plans
Chapter 5 Market Estimates & Forecast, By Technology Type, 2022-2035 (USD Billion) (Thousand Units)
- 5.1 Key trends
- 5.2 Solar photovoltaic desalination
- 5.3 Solar thermal desalination
Chapter 6 Market Estimates & Forecast, By Cooling Capacity, 2022-2035 (USD Billion) (Thousand Units)
- 6.1 Key trends
- 6.2 Small scale (below 1,000 cubic meters per day)
- 6.3 Medium scale (between 1,000-10,000 cubic meters per day)
- 6.4 Large scale (above 10,000 cubic meters per day)
Chapter 7 Market Estimates & Forecast, By Solar Integration Model, 2022-2035 (USD Billion) (Thousand Units)
- 7.1 Key trends
- 7.2 Off-grid solar
- 7.3 Hybrid solar+grid
- 7.4 Solar-thermal assisted
Chapter 8 Market Estimates & Forecast, By End Use, 2022-2035 (USD Billion) (Thousand Units)
- 8.1 Key trends
- 8.2 Agricultural
- 8.3 Industrial
- 8.4 Municipal
- 8.5 Commercial
Chapter 9 Market Estimates & Forecast, By Region, 2022-2035 (USD Billion) (Thousand Units)
- 9.1 Key trends
- 9.2 North America
- 9.2.1 U.S.
- 9.2.2 Canada
- 9.3 Europe
- 9.3.1 Germany
- 9.3.2 France
- 9.3.3 UK
- 9.3.4 Italy
- 9.3.5 Spain
- 9.4 Asia Pacific
- 9.4.1 China
- 9.4.2 India
- 9.4.3 Japan
- 9.4.4 South Korea
- 9.4.5 Australia
- 9.5 Latin America
- 9.5.1 Brazil
- 9.5.2 Mexico
- 9.5.3 Argentina
- 9.6 MEA
- 9.6.1 South Africa
- 9.6.2 Saudi Arabia
- 9.6.3 UAE
Chapter 10 Company Profiles
- 10.1 Acciona
- 10.2 Aquastill
- 10.3 Aquatech
- 10.4 Boreal Light
- 10.5 Condorchem Envirotech
- 10.6 Desolenator
- 10.7 Elemental Water Makers
- 10.8 Empereal Energy and Services
- 10.9 ForeverPure Corporation
- 10.10 IDE Technologies
- 10.11 Memsys
- 10.12 Osmosun
- 10.13 SolarDew
- 10.14 Solar Water
- 10.15 Solar Water Solutions
