NEWS RELEASE September 2019
Dry Scrubber Market will grow to $5 billion/yr.
Dry scrubbers are taking market share away from the wet scrubbing alternative in coal fired power, biomass combustion, cement, steel, waste to energy and other applications involving hot acid gases and particulate.
The advantages of dry scrubbers are the reduced need for water, the elimination of wastewater, and the capture of mercury, dioxins, and sulfuric acid mist. The negative aspect is the elimination of valuable byproducts. If the acid gas ratio in the fuel is low dry scrubbing has the lowest total cost of ownership. The higher the acid content the less competitive dry scrubbing is to wet.
Dry scrubbing is the preferred choice in glass plants, waste to energy, and cement plants. In some other applications it has half the market share. In coal fired power generation it has less than a 6 percent share. A major change is taking place in India where coal fired power plants are expected to use dry scrubbing for one third of the requirements. As a result India will be a leading purchaser of dry scrubber hardware, lime and services in the future. It will spend just under $3 billion for dry scrubber hardware and construction over the seven year period ending in 2025. It will be spending $650 million/yr for lime for dry scrubbing by 2025 and $325 million for service, repair and remote operation and maintenance.
|
2025 |
2025 MW |
2018-2015 (millions) |
2018-2025 Additions |
Lime Market $ millions (2025) |
Hardware $ millions |
Service, Repair |
|
| U.S | 135 | 45,000 | 15 | 5,000 | 675 | 400 | 225 |
| China | 180 | 60,000 | 45 | 15,000 | 600 | 675 | 300 |
| India | 195 | 65,000 | 134 | 64,000 | 650 | 2,880 | 325 |
| ROW | 270 | 90,000 | 120 | 40,000 | 900 | 3,200 | 450 |
| Total | 780 | 260,000 | 314 | 124,000 | 2825 | 7155 | 1300 |
Cement, waste to energy and furnace applications are sized based on CFM. Equivalent MW is provided as a convenience.
MW - CFM equivalent is 3000 CFM at 240F
U.S lime at $150/ton and 100 tons per equivalent MW
Lime in China, India, and ROW at $100/ton and 100 tons per equivalent MW
Hardware for new plants is $45,000/equivalent MW in India and China and $80,000/equivalent MW in U.S. and ROW.
Service, repair and remotely operate is $5000/ MW/yr
The world market for dry scrubbing hardware will average $710 million/yr over the period to 2025. Lime purchases will be just under $3 billion by 2025 while service, repair and remote O&M will rise to over $1.3 billion/yr.
Forecasts for both wet and dry scrubbing for each country are contained in two McIlvaine reports. One is focused on coal fired boilers and the other on the industrial market. More information is available at
N027 FGD Market and Strategies
N008 Scrubber/Adsorber/Biofilter World Markets
Bob Mcilvaine can answer any questions at cell 847 226 2391 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
