The seawater desalination market - France (2024)

1.2 A growing global market

The seawater desalination market is estimated to be worth $**.** billion worldwide in ****, with growth forecast at a compound annual growth rate of *. *% over the period ****-****.

Evolution of global seawater desalination market size World, ****-****, in billions of dollars

Factors such as accelerated population growth , rapid urbanization and growing water scarcity in several regions of the world are expected to boost demand for water desalination equipment in the years ahead. The COVID-** pandemic temporarily reduced demand in ****, with the closure of many construction sites and manufacturing companies. However, from early ****, with the gradual return to normal, demand for water desalination technologies has rebounded.

Governments around the world have stepped up investment in water treatment solutions to meet the growing challenges of water scarcity. In India, for example, initiatives such as the Atal Mission for Urban Rejuvenation and Transformation (***), focused on improving water supply and sewerage infrastructure, are expected to support market growth in this sector.

Global seawater desalination market revenue share breakdown World, ****, % of sales

The Middle East and Africadominated the market, accounting for **% of global revenue share. This reflects the strategic importance and high demand for drinking water in geographical areas that are particularly arid and where fresh water is ...

1.3 A European market dominated by certain countries

Desalination is a fast-growing sector with significant potential. In the European Union, a relatively modest proportion of fresh water is currently obtained by desalinating seawater. Historically, desalination in Europe developed mainly in response to local water shortages in the early ****s, with the installation of small-scale plants to supply drinking water to hotels and resorts. With climate change expected to accentuate seasonal fluctuations in water availability, the European desalination market is expected to expand significantly in the years ahead.

Within the European Union, freshwater reserves (***) vary widely, as do seawater withdrawals. For example, Croatia has the largest per capita freshwater reserves in the European Union[***]. conversely, * EU countries experience water stress at least once a year: Malta, Cyprus, the Czech Republic and Poland.

In ****, desalination plants in the European Union have an active capacity to supply up to *.* billion cubic meters of desalinated water per year, mainly from seawater and brackish water sources. Some *,*** desalination plants are currently in operation in the EU.

Breakdown of European desalination plants by country France, ****, % of total

The graph illustrating the distribution of desalination plants in Europe for the year **** shows a clear predominance of Spain, which hosts **% of European infrastructures. This significant percentage underlines ...

1.4 French market

The domestic desalination market is difficult to assess, as demand from local authorities is still low. As a first step, therefore, it is interesting to analyze the market more broadly, using data compiled by INSEE under NAF code **.**Z: "Collection, treatment and distribution of water", which covers rainwater and river water collection, for example, but also seawater desalination.

Market size for water collection, treatment and distribution France, ****-****, billions of euros Source: ****

The graph showing the evolution of the French water collection, treatment and distribution market between **** and **** shows relative stability, followed by slight growth at the end of the period. After stagnating at around **.* billion euros from **** to ****, sales start to rise from ****, reaching **.* billion euros in ****. This growth could be explained by increased investment in infrastructure, better management of water resources and public policies aimed at improving access to and quality of drinking water. The market has thus shown notable resilience in the face of economic challenges, while at the same time displaying an upward trend, suggesting a growing awareness of the importance of water management in France.

France's share of European desalination plants Number of desalination plants in France Cubic meters of desalinated water supplied in France *% ** plants *** ...

1.5 Summary of market drivers

The table below summarizes the various determinants of water desalination management activities. The evolution given is a trend predicted or assumed for the near future.

2.1 How the French perceive water access issues

Responses to the question "Do you think water is a limited resource in France?" France, ****-****, %

The graph above shows a significant and continuous increase in the proportion of the French population who perceive water as a limited resource. This trend, observed over the entire period studied, indicates a growing awareness of water-related issues among the population. Initially, in ****, only **% of respondents considered water to be a limited resource. This figure has risen steadily to **% in ****, representing a significant increase of ** percentage points in thirteen years.

This evolution could be attributed to a combination of factors such as increased awareness of climate change, more frequent and prolonged periods of drought, and media coverage of water management issues. The increase in this perception over the years also suggests a reaction to extreme weather events and water shortages that have probably left their mark on public opinion.

The stabilization of the percentages around **% from **** onwards, with some minor fluctuations, could indicate an increasingly entrenched recognition of water resource limitations, reflecting a constant and growing concern for environmental sustainability in France.

Perception of a potential water shortage in one's region France, ****, %, %

Analysis of perceptions of a potential shortage of water in their region by ...

2.2 Water stress worldwide and in France

A very simple indicator of water scarcity on a national scale is the amount of renewable freshwater per person. Water stress begins when a country's available water falls below *,*** m*/year per person. When the threshold of *,*** m*/year is crossed, water scarcity is felt. Absolute water scarcity is envisaged for countries with less than *** m*/year. according to this definition, ** countries are subject to water stress, * of which are experiencing water scarcity and ** absolute water scarcity. [***]

Major differences between countries:

Climatic cycles, both past and present, have played a decisive role in the geographical distribution of water resources, resulting in major disparities between different regions of the globe. The most disadvantaged areas in terms of access to water are mainly located in the Arabian Peninsula, the Near East, North Africa, the Sahel and the desert regions of southern Africa.

worldwide, almost **% of renewable freshwater resources are concentrated in nine major countries: Brazil, the Russian Federation, Indonesia, China, Canada, the USA, Colombia, Peru and India. at the other end of the scale, several nations face critical water scarcity, including Kuwait, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, Malta, Libya, Singapore, Jordan, Israel and Cyprus.

Even in regions that are usually well supplied with ...

2.3 Freshwater consumption in France

Freshwater abstraction by use France, ****, %, France, ****, %, France, %, France, %, France, %, France, % Source: Statistical data and studies In ****, the breakdown of freshwater withdrawals in France showed a clear predominance of uses linked to power plant cooling, which accounted for **. *% of total withdrawals. This dominance reflects the crucial importance of water in the energy sector for maintaining the operations of thermal and nuclear power plants. Following this trend, drinking water production accounted for **. *% of withdrawals, underlining the priority given to supplying water for human consumption and domestic needs. Canal supply, accounting for **.*%, highlights the importance of freshwater for activities linked to water resource management and river transport infrastructures. Agricultural and industrial uses accounted for **. *% and *.*% respectively, reflecting the use of water for irrigation, livestock breeding and various production processes. These global data indicate a multifaceted distribution of freshwater, strongly oriented towards critical uses such as energy production and drinking water supply, while supporting agricultural and industrial needs.

Domestic consumption

In France, domestic water consumption has risen from *** liters per capita per day in ****, to *** liters per capita per day in ****. Thus, a French household of *.* people consumes an average of *** liters of water per day, representing an overall annual consumption of *** cubic metres (***). To ...

3.1 A few orders of magnitude of French potential

France has ***** km of coastline, including its overseas territories, making it the *th longest country in the world. Some *,*** communes are located on the French coast or within coastal cantons. [***] Counting only metropolitan France and Corsica, the total coastline is *,*** km.

The exclusive economic zone is defined as a stretch of water over which a coastal state can enjoy sovereign rights, and extends from the state's baseline to *** nautical miles (***). [***]

In these overseas territories, small seawater desalination units are widely used; in French Polynesia, for example, energy-powered reverse osmosis plants are emerging. [***]

Map of French exclusive economic zones

Source: ****

Domestic industrial potential

In terms of market development in mainland France and the French overseas departments, manufacturers can develop their activities within an ecosystem of the "Water collection, treatment and distribution" sector, with *** companies and *,*** employees in ****, according to Urssaf data by region.

Change in the number of employees registered under "****Z Water collection, treatment and distribution" France, ****-****, number of employees Source: ****

Between **** and ****, a general upward trend is observed, with a continuous increase in the number of employees from one year to the next. In ****, the sector counted ***** employees, and this number has gradually increased to reach ***** employees in ****.

This ...

3.2 Desalination process

There are three main families of seawater desalination techniques. It should be noted that the average salt level in the oceans varies between ** and ** grams per liter.

Distillation

Distillation is probably the oldest and best-known seawater desalination technique. It consists of a first evaporation stage, to separate salts and other minerals from the water, followed by a second condensation phase, to recover the water from gaseous to liquid form. This technique means that the output water is completely demineralized, and must therefore be replenished with certain essential minerals. In addition to remineralization, this technique is the most energy-intensive, since it involves heating the water to ***°C under normal pressure conditions, and over a long period of time.

Electrodialysis

In this process, water and salt are separated using a chemical method that migrates the ions (***) to electrodes traversed by an electric field. This technique is quite effective for low-salt water, but quickly becomes energy-intensive as the salt concentration in the water increases. It is therefore mainly used for desalination of brackish estuary water. What's more, the chemical reaction involved produces pollutants that are harmful to the environment, while the anodes and cathodes, generally made of zinc, copper or aluminum, have to be ...

3.3 Environmental considerations

Seawater desalination, while a highly attractive solution to drinking water shortages, presents a number of environmental challenges.

Current techniques are energy-intensive and often powered by fossil fuels, contributing to greenhouse gas emissions. Water abstraction and discharge methods can disrupt marine ecosystems, damage flora and fauna, and lead to excessive salinization of surrounding waters.

The aspiration of marine organisms into water circuits and the introduction of chemicals into discharges also pose significant threats to marine biodiversity. Finally,the high salt concentration of brine discharges can cause ecological imbalances, affecting sensitive habitats such as coral reefs and seagrass beds.

Source: ****

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3.4 Veolia and Suez, the two French leaders

Among the leaders in the seawater desalination market are the two French water management giants, Veolia and Suez.

Veolia Water Technologies

With a combined treatment capacity of some ** million m* of water per day at over *,*** sites worldwide in *** countries, Veolia is the world leader in desalination.

The company's new water production capacities are mainly built in the Gulf States (***). In Australia, Veolia Water Technologies' desalination plants cover **% of Sydney's water consumption. [***]

Suez

The company has marketed *** desalination plants built and commissioned worldwide, producing more than *.* million m* of fresh water per day, serving nearly ** million people.

The company is particularly active in Saudi Arabia and the Sultanate of Oman. It is also behind Barka *, the country's largest seawater desalination plant. [***]

On February *, ****, the new Suez group announced the signing of its first seawater desalination contract for an industrial client in China. The project aims to produce up to *** million liters of water a day for chemical giant Wanhua Chemical, ranked among the world's top ** chemical companies. The plant will be located in Penglai, in the eastern province of Shandong, and is scheduled to start construction this year, with an estimated duration of around ** months.

The project, carried out in collaboration ...

3.5 Freshwater distribution in France

throughout France, a network of over ***,*** kilometers of pipes, along with thousands of structures, ensures the daily supply of drinking water to ** million people. These infrastructures, combined with those for wastewater and stormwater treatment, represent on average **% of the assets of local authorities [***]

The management of these public services and their infrastructures is therefore a key responsibility of local elected representatives. There are two management methods for water distribution in France, and the choice lies with the organizing authority: it can opt for direct management or for a public service delegation.

Table summarizing the two main management methods for water distribution in France:

Characteristic Direct management (***) Public service delegation Responsibility Provided by the local authority (***) Provided by the local authority, but management entrusted to a third party (***) Management Managed by the local authority with its own resources and employees Managed by an external operator (***) Investments Carried out by the local authority itself Often paid for by the delegated operator Customer relations Directly managed by the local authority Often managed by the operator, but supervised by the local authority Flexibility Local authority has direct control over decisions and investments Can offer greater flexibility in terms of management and technical expertise Examples Urban ...

3.6 The government's Water Plan

In April ****, France launched the Water Plan for sober and resilient management of water resources, aimed at addressing the growing challenges of water scarcity and climate change. The plan comprises ** measures, ** of which have already been initiated and ** finalized. With projections indicating a reduction of up to **% in summer river flows and an increase in droughts, the plan aims to reduce water withdrawals by **% by **** and up to **-**% by ****.

The Water Plan focuses on reducing water consumption in all sectors, particularly industry, by improving manufacturing processes and reusing wastewater and rainwater. A system is in place to help ** priority industrial sites optimize their water consumption, with success stories such as Kem One, which has reduced its consumption by **% since ****.

The plan also includes measures such as the €*** million "INNOV EAU" call for projects to promote innovation in water management and treatment, and the commitment of Strategic Sector Committees (***) to draw up water-saving plans.

In response to extreme climatic conditions, such as the droughts observed in **** and the low rainfall in early ****, Presidentsident Emmanuel Macron presented this action plan in Savines-le-Lac, underlining the importance of reducing water consumption to adapt to future climate change. With river and groundwater levels already low, ...

4.1 Freshwater prices in France

A low average price compared with the European Union

A cubic metre of water costs an average of €*.** in mainland France, including charges and taxes. The order of magnitude for a French family consuming an average of ***m* (***) is to spend an average of €* per day on public water and wastewater services. In the European Union, the average price is €*.**. [***]

Overall average freshwater price, by country EU selection, ****, €/m* Source: ****

Variable prices across France's regions

In ****, the average price of a cubic meter of water in France was *.** euros, including *.** euros for drinking water and *.** euros for wastewater. However, this price is not a uniform benchmark, as each commune sets its own rates. As a result, some residents pay more for their water than others. [***]

Price m* water for France's largest cities (***)

Source: ****

Prices per cubic meter of water vary significantly between major French cities, reflecting local differences in water production, distribution and treatment costs. For example, the price in Strasbourg is €*.**, while in Le Havre it reaches €*.**. These variations are due to the pricing policy of each municipality and to the local specificities of water management infrastructures.

4.2 Cost of a seawater desalination plant

The cost of a desalination plant depends largely on the technology used: it averages €*/m* for distillation plants, €*/m* for electrodialysis technology and around €*/m* for reverse osmosis (***). [***]

With reverse osmosis, the water is so pure that it has to be remineralized, which entails additional costs. Finally, there are distribution costs to consider.

Breakdown of costs

Electricity consumption accounts for around **% of the total costs of a reverse osmosis desalination plant. Reducing the cost of this technology therefore depends, among other things, on optimizing the energy consumption of desalination plants.

Cost breakdown for a reverse osmosis desalination plant Observed average, ****, % Source: ****

Comparative analysis of different desalination technologies

Source: ****

4.3 Start-ups and new technologies

A number of young French companies have made their mark in the seawater desalination sector in recent years. The following is a selection of the main start-ups that have developed rapidly.

Circulair

Winner of the Félix award in ****, the start-up is committed to offering low-cost solutions for developing countries. To achieve this, the venture led by Geoffroy Gauthier (***) consists in reproducing the water cycle, by forcing the evaporation of water with the help of a water pump.water evaporation with wind and solar energy, at ** degrees and atmospheric pressure, then creating an artificial rainfall to recover it. [***]

Sweetch Energy

The technology developed by this start-up, born in **** in Rennes, consists in capturing the osmotic energy linked to the difference in salinity between two waters; using extremely thin membranes, the water flowing through separates the ions from the aqueous solution, thus creating the electric charge. [***]

In ****, Sweetch Energy raises €*.* million from Go-Capital and Emertech.[***]

Mascara

Water desalination is one of the solutions currently available to tackle the planet's growing water shortage. Every day, some ** million cubic meters of water are desalinated worldwide, but the process is often associated with massive pollution from the thermal power plants needed to operate it. However, ...

5.1 Regulatory framework for the withdrawal of seawater for human consumption

To extract seawater for human consumption, several authorizations and files are required prior to the operational phase. [***]

First, a withdrawal authorization issued by the prefect. The application file must include the following information:

A presentation of the qualitative and quantitative status of available freshwater resources and their evolution A presentation of water requirements and their evolution A description of the water supply system for human consumption A document presenting the measures implemented A study of the impact of the desalination plant on freshwater resources

Other regulations, linked to the installation of a desalination plant, also concern the protection of the resource, the treatment chain, and the management and monitoring of water quality. [***]

Lastly, procedures for informing the population about the nature of the water consumed are set out; they are prescribed by prefectoral decree.

5.2 Water quality standards

The reference articles concerning the quality of distributed water are mainly to be found in articles R. ****-*, R. ****-*, R. ****-* and R. ****-** of the French Public Health Code.

Water "fit for human consumption" must meet around ** quality criteria , divided into quality limits and quality references. [***] These potability standards mainly concern exclusions or maximum thresholds for certain chemical quantities. Potability criteria are established on the basis of scientific data establishing maximum permissible doses (***), every day for the rest of his or her life.

To verify the potability of water, tests are carried out on a regular basis, usually at taps near end consumers. Last but not least, derogations may be applicable under very strict conditions; since ****, a European directive has allowed water quality limits to be temporarily exceeded under specific conditions. This means that there is no other reasonable way of ensuring water distribution, that a derogatory limit value is applied, or that measures are put in place to restore water quality.

Some maximum thresholds not to be exceeded:

A quantity greater than or equal to * mg/g of dissolved oxygen; A minimum of *** mg/l calcium; A minimum of ** mg/l magnesium; An arsenic level of *.** mg/ ...

5.3 The NOTRe law

The NOTRe law, promulgated on August *, ****, represents a major pivot in French territorial organization by entrusting new powers to the regions and redefining those assigned to local authorities. As the third component of the territorial reforms following the law on territorial public action and metropolises and the reorganization of the regions de ****, NOTRe aims to strengthen regional responsibilities, rationalize territorial organization, and guarantee solidarity and equality between territories .

One of the law's most significant measures is the transfer of responsibility for drinking water and wastewater treatment to inter-municipal bodies, initially scheduled for January *, ****, but postponed to **** in certain cases.

The communities concerned now face a number of major challenges. They must set up effective asset management systems to reduce water losses and maintain infrastructure quality. At the same time, they must ensure sustainable financial, technical and human resources to guarantee the quality of the water they distribute, andstrengthen the resilience of their services in the face of climatic challenges, particularly drought.

6.1 Segmentation

• Dow Chemical
• Doosan
• Circulair
• Sweetch Energy
• Mascara Renewable Water
• Suez Groupe
• Véolia Groupe