With 97% of the Earth's surface covered by oceans, seawater desalination stands as a proven backstop to addressing global water scarcity challenges. Since 1999, the global desalination sector has seen significant growth in large-scale (>50,000 m3/d) plants, with over 42 million m3/d of capacity added across 214 facilities. This growth has cemented the positions of leading group investors; solutions providers; and engineering, procurement, and construction companies.

Because of extreme water scarcity and a fundamental need to meet the demand of a growing population and economy, the Middle East region is the focal point for desalination—in installed capacity, technology adoption, and roster of experienced companies across the industry value chain. Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates showcase the region's baseload demands for water. Alternatively, global hot spots in Australia, Latin America & the Caribbean, and Southern Europe reflect the recognition of desalination as a vital tool in mitigating water stress.

The ownership and development landscape of large-scale desalination plants is marked by a diverse array of stakeholders, made up of 168 net owners and 105 different EPC companies. This core group of firms—public and private—plays an important role in the continued development of desalination projects.

This market share report maps the capacity for large-scale desalination, including net ownership rankings, company profiles, and the potential outlook for desalination additions going forward.