Global Green Silica Market 2024–2033

Reports Description

Global Green Silica Market was valued at USD 51.8 Billion in 2023 and is expected to reach USD 180.6 Billion by 2032, at a CAGR of 9.8% during the forecast period 2023 – 2032.

Green silica often refers to silica-based products with a green tint.  The green colour comes from a variety of sources, including impurities or additions that affect the optical characteristics of the silica material. These contaminants include copper, iron, and chromium, which can give silica a green tint. Green silica materials can be used in optics, electronics, and material science, based on their qualities and composition.

Green Silica Market: Growth Factors

Growing demand for silica from rubber industry

The rising need for silica from the rubber sector is driving the expansion of the green silica market due to its eco-friendliness. Green silica, referred to as sustainable or ecologically friendly silica, is generated from renewable resources or created using less environmentally damaging procedures.

Silica is used as a filler that reinforces tyres and other rubber goods to improve their performance and longevity. As environmental concerns and laws grow stricter, industries are looking for sustainable alternatives to traditional silica sourced from fossil fuels.

Green silica meets this demand by providing equivalent performance while minimizing the carbon impact and reliance on scarce resources. This trend in demand for environmentally friendly silica not only corresponds with business sustainability aims but also fulfils consumer desires.

For instance, the All-India Rubber Industry Association forecasts natural rubber output to increase by 5% in 2023-24, from 8 lakh metric tonnes in the fiscal year prior. One of the most important elements driving the growth of this business is the expansion of the car industry. Automobiles utilize rubber in a variety of ways, including rubber belts and tyres.

Exponential growth in construction industry

Due to its emphasis on sustainability and environmental responsibility, the booming construction sector is an important market driver for green silica. Green silica, generated from renewable sources or created through environmentally friendly techniques, is consistent with the building industry’s growing emphasis on decreasing carbon footprints and using sustainable materials.

Silica is used in a variety of construction applications to improve durability, strength, and performance, including concrete, mortar, and coatings. As green building techniques gain popularity across the world, there is an increasing need for construction materials that have a low environmental effect and contribute to green building certification.

Green silica achieves these goals by having equivalent qualities to conventional silica while lowering reliance on fossil fuels and minimizing environmental damage. For instance, India’s construction business is thriving, thanks to rising urban housing demand and increased government investment on infrastructure like highways.

Despite short-term hurdles from rate rises and a global downturn, the Indian economy is expected to develop at a 6.7% annual pace through March 2031, powered by manufacturing and services exports and consumer demand.

Improving company productivity and supportive policies have bolstered local and worldwide investor interest in the construction.

Green Silica Market: Restraints

High costs of production

Higher manufacturing costs have a severe negative influence on the green silica market’s competitiveness and acceptance. The manufacture of green silica, which incorporates sustainable sourcing or manufacturing procedures, frequently necessitates expenditures in R&D and facilities which might raise total production costs.

As a result, green silica-based goods may be more expensive than those created with conventional silica, which renders them less appealing to budget-conscious customers or enterprises. This pricing gap may hinder the widespread adoption of green silica in a variety of businesses, particularly in those with significant price sensitivity.

Furthermore, increased production costs may restrict the scalability of green silica production and impede the creation of a dependable supply chain. To overcome this impediment attempts to optimize manufacturing processes, boost effectiveness, and scale up operations.

Green Silica Market: Opportunities

Rise in funding and incentives to support industries

New government expenditures are critical to propelling the green silica industry ahead by encouraging innovation, advancement, and research in sustainable technologies and materials. Organizations throughout the world are increasingly acknowledging the significance of transitioning to a low-carbon economy and minimizing the effects of climate change.

As a result, they are offering subsidies and incentives to sectors that provide environmentally beneficial alternatives, such as the development and usage of green silica. These expenditures might take the form of grants, subsidies, tax breaks, or public-private partnerships targeted at encouraging the use of sustainable materials in a variety of industries, including building, transportation, and electronics.

By stimulating the growth and use of green silica, governments boost market demand, drive technical developments, and speed the transition to a more sustainable future, pushing the growth of the green silica market in the process.

For instance, Evonik, one of the world’s top silica producers, has formed a strategic partnership with Austria’s Pörner Group and Thailand’s Phichit Bio Power Co., Ltd. to offer sustainable ULTRASIL® precipitated silica to tyre makers. The primary raw material for sustainable silica is sodium silicate, which is generated from rice husk ash (RHA), an agricultural waste product, and is manufactured entirely using renewable energy.

Silica is a major element in fuel-efficient tyres, which reduce fuel consumption by up to 8% compared to normal passenger car tyres. The need for sustainable raw materials in tyres is expanding dramatically. The next generation of ULTRASIL® silica will be made using a biobased sodium silicate feedstock and renewable energy.

Green Silica Market: Segmentation Analysis

The global Green Silica market is segmented by type, application, and region.  Based on type, the market is classified into highly dispersible silica and easily dispersible silica. Highly dispersible silica dominated the market in 2022 with a market share of 55% and is expected to keep its dominance during the forecast period 2024-2032.

Because of its eco-friendliness and versatility, highly dispersible silica (HDS) is critical to the growth of the green silica industry. HDS is a specific silica that is developed to diffuse equally inside a variety of materials, including rubber compounds, coatings, and adhesives, therefore increasing their performance.

Compared to ordinary silica, HDS has various environmental advantages, including reduced rolling resistance in tyres, which leads to lower fuel use and carbon emissions. Furthermore, its application can improve the durability and longevity of items, decreasing the need for frequent replacements and resource usage.

As sustainability becomes more essential across industries, the need for HDS rises, owing to rules encouraging energy efficiency and environmental responsibility.

Based on application, the market is classified into tyres, rubber goods, paints & coating and others. The tires segment dominated the market in 2022 with a market share of 45% and is expected to keep its dominance during the forecast period 2024-2032.

Tyres are an important factor in the green silica market because of their widespread use and the crucial function silica plays in tyre manufacture. Green silica, which is generated from renewable sources or created using environmentally friendly procedures, is progressively replacing traditional carbon black as a reinforcing filler in tyre formulations.

This trend is largely motivated by the auto industry’s desire to reduce fuel consumption and carbon emissions. Green silica-enhanced tyres have less rolling resistance, which increases fuel economy and lowers CO2 emissions during vehicle operation.

Furthermore, these tyres improve traction, braking performance, and longevity, resulting in safer and more sustainable mobility. As environmental restrictions tighten and customer demand for eco-friendly products grows, tyre manufacturers are introducing more green silica into their formulas.

Report Scope

Green Silica Market: Regional Analysis

By region, Green Silica market is segmented into North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Latin America, Middle East & Africa. The Asia-Pacific dominated the global Green Silica market in 2022 with a market share of 45% in 2022 and is expected to keep its dominance during the forecast period 2024-2032.

As the region’s economies improve and cities grow, there is an increasing need for sustainable materials in a variety of industries, including building, automotive, electronics, and consumer products. Green silica, with its environmentally benign qualities and uses, is well-suited to the sustainability goals of Asian corporations and governments.

Furthermore, Asia-Pacific is a manufacturing powerhouse, making it a key market for green silica. The automobile sector, in particular, is a significant user of silica for tire manufacture, and as environmental rules tighten and consumer tastes change towards environmentally friendly goods, market demand for green silica-enhanced tires is predicted to increase significantly.

Overall, the Asia-Pacific region’s rapid industrialization, combined with rising environmental consciousness and government support for sustainability, positions it as a major driver of the green silica market.

Green Silica Market: Recent Developments

• In June 2022, Brisil Technologies and Lehmann & Voss & Co. collaborated to assess the commercial viability of a silica filler made from biomass. The review focuses on elastomer applications and is confined to Europe.

• In January 2023, Solvay made investments in its Livorno, Italy, location to establish the company’s first unit of circular highly dispersible silica (HDS), created using bio-based sodium silicate generated from rice husk ash.

• In May 2021, Evonik launched silane Si 363® – referred to as VP Si 363® at the time represented a huge jump forward in advancement. Si 363® lowered the rolling resistance by an additional 15%.

List of the prominent players in the Green Silica Market:

• Evonik Industries AG
• PPG Industries, Inc.
• Solvay SA
• Cabot Corporation
• Wacker Chemie AG
• Tokuyama Corporation
• Huber Engineered Materials
• Qingdao Haiyang Chemical Co., Ltd.
• Tosoh Corporation
• Akzo Nobel N.V.
• Ecolab Inc.
• Imerys SA
• Anten Chemical Co., Ltd.
• Grace Silica (Suzhou) Co., Ltd.
• Nissan Chemical Corporation
• Shandong Jinneng Science and Technology Co., Ltd.
• Madhu Silica Pvt. Ltd.
• Silicycle
• Fuji Silysia Chemical Ltd.
• R. Grace & Co.
• Others

These key players are adopting various growth strategies such as mergers & acquisitions, joint ventures, expansion, strategic alliances, new product launches, etc. to enhance their business operations and revenues.

The Green Silica Market is segmented as follows:

By Form

• Powder
• Granular
• Micropearl

By Source

• Rice Husk Ash
• Sugarcane Bagasse Ash
• Bamboo Leaf
• Corncob
• Others (including Bamboo Culm and Banana Peel)

By Type

• Highly Dispersible Silica (HDS)
• Easily Dispersible Silica (EDS)

By Application

• Consumer Goods
• Industrial Rubber
• Footwear
• Food Products
• Paints, Coatings, and Inks
• Plastic Films
• Others (including Oral Care Products)

By End-use

• Automotive
• Paints & Coatings
• Plastic & Packaging
• Personal Care
• Industrial
• Food & Beverages
• Others (including Construction and Cosmetics)

Regional Coverage:

North America

• U.S.
• Canada
• Mexico
• Rest of North America

Europe

• Germany
• France
• U.K.
• Russia
• Italy
• Spain
• Netherlands
• Rest of Europe

Asia Pacific

• China
• Japan
• India
• New Zealand
• Australia
• South Korea
• Taiwan
• Rest of Asia Pacific

The Middle East & Africa

• Saudi Arabia
• UAE
• Egypt
• Kuwait
• South Africa
• Rest of the Middle East & Africa

Latin America

• Brazil
• Argentina
• Rest of Latin America