Decarbonization and Energy Security: New IDTechEx Report Explores the Growing Gas Separation Membranes Market
Gas separation is required for many industries. Mature applications for gas separation membranes have existed commercially for decades using simple polymeric materials such as cellulose acetate and polyimide. As governments and industries alike seek to reach net-zero by 2050 targets, new decarbonization applications are emerging for membranes, with new membrane materials being developed in the pursuit of improved performance.
In the new report, “Gas Separation Membranes 2026-2036: Materials, Markets, Players, and Forecasts”, IDTechEx has forecast that emerging decarbonization gas separation membrane markets will grow at a 17% CAGR to 2036.
IDTechEx forecasts emerging membrane markets (biogas upgrading, post-combustion capture, blue hydrogen) will see the largest growth in revenue by 2036. Image source: IDTechEx
Gas separation membranes have distinct advantages, such as high energy efficiency and compact design when compared to other technologies, such as pressure swing adsorption. Relevant applications for energy security and/or decarbonization include biogas upgrading to produce biomethane/renewable natural gas (RNG), CCUS (carbon capture, utilization, and storage), natural gas processing, hydrogen separations including mature applications (ammonia production, refining & petrochemical, and methanol production) and emerging applications (blue hydrogen/pre-combustion carbon capture, hydrogen deblending, and ammonia cracking), and helium separation/recovery. Some of these markets are already mature but can still present opportunities for new membrane materials.
Membranes are now the leading technology for biogas upgrading
Membranes have rapidly become the leading technology for biogas upgrading, driven by their simplicity, low OPEX, and superior energy efficiency. Biogas consists mainly of methane and carbon dioxide. If biogas is cleaned up and upgraded to natural gas standards, it’s then known as biomethane (or RNG – renewable natural gas) and can be used as a substitute for natural gas.
The leading geographies currently for RNG are Europe and North America. Polyimide solutions for biogas upgrading, such as Evonik’s SEPURAN Green dominate the biomethane space, but emerging membrane materials and alternative biogas upgrading technologies could gain market share as biogas markets continue expanding worldwide.
Gas separation membranes for post-combustion carbon capture are scaling up
While amine solvent technologies will continue to dominate the point-source carbon capture space, opportunities exist for new gas separation membranes. In some situations, the smaller land footprint of membrane capture units and lack of hazardous chemicals in operations may prove to be the best technology choice. There is increasing interest in “hybrid processes”, where a membrane process is combined with cryogenics/PSA/solvents to maximize economics.
Incumbent polymer membranes do not perform well at carbon capture outside of the natural gas processing space, so start-ups in the CCUS space generally seek to commercialize advanced polymer materials. Gas separation membranes for post-combustion capture, although not yet at the megatonne per annum scale, are ramping up, with projects capable of capturing 10,000s tonnes per annum of CO2set to come online in 2025/2026. The IDTechEx Gas Separation Membranes report includes market research on projects, players, materials, benchmarking, and economic analysis for gas separation membranes in post-combustion carbon capture.
Established and emerging hydrogen applications present opportunities for membranes
Membranes are already established for mature hydrogen applications such as ammonia and methanol production. The most economic performance is usually achieved by deploying gas separation membranes in hybrid systems alongside technologies such as pressure swing adsorption (PSA). For emerging applications, new membrane materials such as palladium membranes are being explored, offering advantages such as high hydrogen purity.
New gas separation membrane materials can improve performance
It is not just new applications shaking up the market. While incumbent asymmetric polymer membranes are easy to fabricate and cheap to produce, new gas separation membrane materials can enhance separation performance. Start-ups are seeking to commercialize advanced polymer materials, metals, ceramics, carbon-based membranes, and new composite structures (such as thin film composites and mixed matric membranes).
Development of new membrane materials encompasses advanced polymer materials, new composite structures, and can go beyond polymeric materials to metals and ceramics. Image source: IDTechEx
Outlook
Driven by energy security concerns and decarbonization commitments, there are growing market opportunities globally for both incumbent and emerging gas separation membrane materials. Some of the most promising applications include biogas upgrading, post-combustion carbon capture, and blue hydrogen production. IDTechEx’s “Gas Separation Membranes 2026-2036: Materials, Markets, Players, and Forecasts” report provides comprehensive information on the outlook for gas separation membrane markets with an in-depth analysis of the technological and economic aspects shaping the market.
For more information on this report, including downloadable sample pages, please visit www.IDTechEx.com/GasSepMem, or for the full portfolio of related research available from IDTechEx please visit www.IDTechEx.com/Research/Energy.
About IDTechEx
IDTechEx provides trusted independent research on emerging technologies and their markets. Since 1999, we have been helping our clients to understand new technologies, their supply chains, market requirements, opportunities and forecasts. For more information, contact research@IDTechEx.com or visit www.IDTechEx.com.
