Nanotechnologies and converging markets and technologies, like nanotech-biotech and nanotech-infotech increase efficiency and reduce costs and volume of environmental constructions and design.
According to a new study by www.hkc22.com, the world markets for environmental technologies reached $560 billion in 2003 and is expected to reach $744 billion in 2010. Water counts for 40 percent and waste for 35 percent. But still end-of-pipe technologies are more than 80 percent in 2004. Zero emission technologies are only 1.5 percent. Nanotechnology and molecular technologies transform the environmental industry to a high tech industry and reduce the end-of-pipe technologies to 60 percent in 2010, and increase zero emission to more than 3 percent. This market welcomes nanotechnology and molecular technology like no other market without any barriers and preconditions. There is a great demand for better and cheaper solutions worldwide and the affects are vital to the society.
The potentials for nanotechnology until 2015 is 5-10 percent and for nanotechnology "inside" 20-30 percent from the total market. Molecular technologies will lead the development and change the market and applications. For nanotech-biotech convergence the market is expected to reach $25 billion.
One hundred and eighty applications are defined today from soil sanitation, disinfection, water treatment and purification, energy systems, recycling, air cleaning, noise reduction to new and disruptive processes.
Depending on the country, 4-8 percent of the R&D spending will go into environmental technologies. The commercialization is faster than in any other branch or market and the profit potential is between 3-20 percent.
Asia and China may install nano-related technologies and do not overtake the end-of-pipe technologies first. Asia and China show the highest growth rates in water and waste-related technologies today.
The overall study is called From Nanotechnology to Molecular Industries 2015.
Source: Helmut Kaiser Consultancy
