IDTechEx covers multiple technologies that have the capacity to contribute to decarbonizing efforts, including metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) for carbon capture, green hydrogen, and sustainable composites for wind energy. The portfolio of Energy & Decarbonization Research Reports and Subscriptions covers market predictions, key growth, and drivers for these technologies, and explores their developments in the context of global sustainability awareness.
MOFs for carbon capture
Carbon capture provides multiple benefits across the decarbonization landscape. Deploying carbon capture technologies is considered key to addressing emissions from hard-to-decarbonize sectors such as cement and steel, and existing energy assets. It can also support low-carbon hydrogen (H₂) production and play a major role in removing carbon from the atmosphere. Although the current use of carbon capture is growing, it is still limited. Despite the fair level of maturity, the technology remains costly, energy-intensive, and plagued by a considerable number of project failures.
Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) are an emerging material for carbon capture that could bring about reduced costs and increased efficiency. These materials are demonstrating high CO2 selectivity, superior cycling stability compared with incumbent technologies such as amine-based solutions, and significantly reduced energy requirements. These reduced energy requirements for sorbent regeneration of between 50 and 80% are one of the main drivers for the interest in MOFs. Moreover, advanced solid sorbents such as MOFs do not bring about the same environmental concerns as with solvent-based systems. They are therefore both easier to work with and less harmful to the environment.
IDTechEx reports that MOFs has the potential for rapid expansion, with startups beginning to take their places within the industry. IDTechEx's reports, "Metal-Organic Frameworks 2025-2035: Markets, Technologies, and Forecasts" and "Carbon Capture, Utilization, and Storage (CCUS) Markets 2025-2045: Technologies, Market Forecasts, and Players" covers some of these companies, the technology status, outlook, and market forecasts for the future.
A diagram presents three technology opportunities within the sector for decarbonization materials. Source: IDTechEx.
Green hydrogen and incentives to decarbonize
Green hydrogen is produced through water electrolysis, powered by renewable electricity. It can be a major player in decarbonization, with IDTechEx forecasting the market to exceed US$10bn by 2036. This is particularly critical for sectors where direct electrification is technically challenging or economically unfeasible, to eliminate substantial industrial emissions. These include replacing grey hydrogen as a feedstock and/or natural gas in high temperature heating in refineries. It can also serve as a clean feedstock for ammonia production, and as a reducing agent in steel manufacturing. Other application areas include the transportation sector utilizing hydrogen directly or hydrogen-derived fuels, power generation, and more.
Increasing global regulatory requirements and corporate sustainability goals are two contributing factors to the push for developments in green hydrogen. Despite high costs of this technology, investments are growing, particularly as carbon pricing matures and government incentives become increasingly apparent. Hydrogen certification schemes and standards are also beginning to act as a driver for the hydrogen market.
Within this space, progression in the green hydrogen market requires advancements in materials and components such as cell electrodes, separators (e.g. membranes), catalysts, porous transport, gas diffusion layers, and bipolar plates. Material and structural advancements, even at the micro-scale for each of the components, can significantly increase the efficiency of electrolyzers (i.e. current density) and improve long-term durability, and potentially reduce the dependence on rare materials.
IDTechEx's report, "Materials for Green Hydrogen Production 2026-2036: Technologies, Players, Forecasts", assesses the technological developments in materials and components for green hydrogen production across the main categories of electrolyzers. It also covers the main sectors that will benefit from green hydrogen going forward, as well as the landscape of relevant companies and investments.
Sustainable composites for wind energy
Wind energy is a sector of great potential and innovation, as the demand for renewable energy is rising exponentially and energy security concerns continue. Regulation and sustainability trends make wind energy one of the most viable sources of renewable energy and a pathway to decarbonization. With GWEC projecting nearly 1TW of additional wind capacity to be installed by 2030, and increasing concerns on the wind turbine blade waste and lack of material circularity, there is significant growth potential for sustainable materials and components in this sector.
Wind turbine blades made from glass or carbon fiber reinforced thermoset resins can be very difficult to recycle as a result of their strong polymer chains. Due to their large size, there is typically large volumes of waste and material usage when they cannot be recycled efficiently, with high temperatures and harsh chemicals needed in the process.
IDTechEx explores the increasing attention on the use of recyclable resins to produce wind turbines. Thermoplastics in particular have moldability and chemical recyclability potential, making them a material of significant interest for wind turbine manufacturing going forward. Large scale adoption of recyclable materials is necessary to achieve the benefits of making these changes, as well as bringing down costs. However, there are concerns over their long-term durability which has limited adoption to date.
IDTechEx's report, "Composite Materials for Green Energy Markets 2026-2046: Sustainable Technologies, Players & Trends" explores the companies operating within this sector and key developments within the industry. For more information, visit IDTechEx's portfolio of Energy & Decarbonization Research Reports and Subscriptions.
