Cooling towers are essential for removing heat in power generation, industrial processing, data centers, and commercial HVAC—affecting energy use, water demand, and public health risk. This page maps where demand concentrates, from North America’s revenue share to Asia-Pacific’s faster growth, and links operating conditions to performance. We also cover key technologies such as plume abatement, modular and forced-draft designs, plus water treatment and Legionella trends.
Key Takeaways
- Power plants used 45% of cooling towers globally in 2023, 38% thermal coal-fired
- Data centers accounted for 22% new cooling tower capacity added in 2023, 15 GW IT load
- Petrochemical refineries operated 18,000 cooling towers worldwide in 2023, 25% capacity upgrades
- Cooling towers emitted 120 million tons of CO2 equivalent in 2023 from energy use in power plants
- Water drift from cooling towers averaged 0.0005% of circulation rate in modern designs 2023
- Legionella cases linked to cooling towers totaled 1,200 in US in 2023, down 15% from biofiltration
- SPX Cooling Technologies held 22% global market share in 2023 with revenues of USD 600 million
- Baltimore Aircoil Company (BAC) manufactured 15,000 cooling towers in 2023, generating USD 550 million revenue
- EVAPCO Inc. exported 40% of its USD 480 million cooling tower sales in 2023 to Asia-Pacific markets
- The global cooling tower market was valued at USD 2.73 billion in 2022 and is expected to grow to USD 3.97 billion by 2030 at a CAGR of 4.8% driven by increasing demand in power generation and HVAC sectors
- In 2023, North America held a 35% share of the global cooling tower market revenue, primarily due to stringent energy efficiency regulations in the US and Canada
- The Asia-Pacific cooling tower market is projected to register the highest CAGR of 5.6% from 2024 to 2032, fueled by rapid industrialization in China and India
- Forced draft cooling towers comprised 45% of new installations in 2023, valued at USD 1.2 billion for compact designs
- Hybrid cooling towers market grew to USD 850 million in 2023, combining wet and dry for water conservation
- Plume abatement technology in cooling towers reduced visible emissions by 95% in 65% of EU installations by 2023
In 2023, cooling towers remained critical for power and industry while shrinking emissions and water impacts.
Related reading
01 · Category
Applications And End Users25 stats
01
Power plants used 45% of cooling towers globally in 2023, 38% thermal coal-fired
02
Data centers accounted for 22% new cooling tower capacity added in 2023, 15 GW IT load
03
Petrochemical refineries operated 18,000 cooling towers worldwide in 2023, 25% capacity upgrades
04
HVAC systems in commercial buildings utilized 35% of urban cooling towers in 2023 US census
05
Steel manufacturing plants had average 12 cooling towers per facility in 2023 global survey
06
Pharmaceutical industry cooling towers numbered 5,200 in 2023, emphasizing sterile closed circuits
07
Food processing sector installed 8,500 new towers in 2023 for refrigeration cycles
08
Oil & gas upstream used 12% of cooling towers for compressor cooling in 2023
09
Hospitals and healthcare facilities had 4,200 cooling towers serving chillers in US 2023
10
Cement plants operated 9,800 cooling towers globally in 2023 for kiln gas quenching
11
District cooling systems incorporated 2,500 large towers in 2023 urban projects
12
Mining operations used 6,400 cooling towers for SAG mill lubrication in 2023
13
Chemical processing plants represented 15% end-user market, 11,000 towers active 2023
14
Nuclear power stations had 420 hyperbolic towers operating at 95% capacity in 2023
15
Textile dyeing industry cooling towers totaled 7,200 in Asia 2023 for heat recovery
16
Airports and transportation hubs installed 1,800 cooling towers for HVAC in 2023 expansions
17
Glass manufacturing utilized 3,500 cooling towers for furnace forehearths in 2023
18
Breweries and beverage plants had 2,900 cooling systems operational in 2023 EU
19
Paper and pulp mills operated 10,200 cooling towers for digester heating in 2023
20
Semiconductor fabs required ultra-pure cooling towers, 850 units in 2023 Taiwan
21
Automotive assembly plants used 4,100 cooling towers for paint shop ovens 2023
22
Wastewater treatment plants integrated 3,200 cooling towers for aeration in 2023
23
Hotels and resorts sector added 1,200 chillers with towers in 2023 tourism recovery
24
Aluminum smelters had 2,100 potline cooling towers running at full load 2023
25
Plastic extrusion cooling towers numbered 5,600 globally in 2023 operations
Interpretation
Applications And End Users Interpretation
In the Applications and End Users view, power plants remain the dominant cooling tower user at 45% globally in 2023 while data centers are rapidly expanding, adding 22% of new cooling tower capacity that year with 15 GW of IT load.
02 · Category
Environmental Impact19 stats
01
Cooling towers emitted 120 million tons of CO2 equivalent in 2023 from energy use in power plants
02
Water drift from cooling towers averaged 0.0005% of circulation rate in modern designs 2023
03
Legionella cases linked to cooling towers totaled 1,200 in US in 2023, down 15% from biofiltration
04
Global cooling tower water consumption was 1.2 trillion liters in 2023, 8% of industrial use
05
Zero-liquid discharge systems retrofitted in 12% of towers 2023, recovering 95% water
06
Thermal pollution from cooling towers raised river temps by 3°C avg in 25% monitored sites 2023
07
Biofilm control reduced chemical biocides by 40% in 35,000 towers using silver ions 2023
08
Cooling towers contributed 5% to industrial NOx emissions globally in 2023 from fans
09
Recycled water used in 28% of cooling towers in California 2023, saving 450 billion liters
10
Plume opacity fines for cooling towers totaled USD 15 million in EU 2023 for non-compliance
11
Ozone treatment in cooling towers cut disinfection byproducts by 85% in 4,500 systems 2023
12
Cooling tower sludge disposal reached 2.5 million tons globally in 2023, 60% hazardous
13
Green cooling towers with vegetation covers reduced urban heat by 4°C in 200 pilots 2023
14
Fluoride emissions from cooling towers averaged 0.5 mg/L in 2023 coal plant effluents
15
15% reduction in cooling tower energy use achieved via EU Ecodesign directive compliance 2023
16
Microbial induced corrosion affected 22% of towers, costing USD 2.5 billion repairs 2023
17
Cooling towers in data centers used 1.8 billion kWh electricity in 2023, 4% renewable shift
18
Hypochlorite use in towers dropped 30% with UV systems in Australia 2023
19
Cooling towers power sector water withdrawal was 70 billion m³ globally in 2023
Interpretation
Environmental Impact Interpretation
In 2023, cooling towers drove major environmental impact, including 120 million tons of CO2 equivalent from power plant energy use, while also showing some mitigation as global water consumption still reached 1.2 trillion liters but zero-liquid discharge retrofits rose to 12% and recovered 95% of water.
03 · Category
Manufacturers And Companies19 stats
01
SPX Cooling Technologies held 22% global market share in 2023 with revenues of USD 600 million
02
Baltimore Aircoil Company (BAC) manufactured 15,000 cooling towers in 2023, generating USD 550 million revenue
03
EVAPCO Inc. exported 40% of its USD 480 million cooling tower sales in 2023 to Asia-Pacific markets
04
Marley Cooling Technologies division of SPX reported 12% YoY growth in 2023, reaching USD 420 million sales
05
Paharpur Cooling Towers Ltd. dominated India with 35% market share in 2023, producing 8,000 units annually
06
Hamon D'Hondt S.A. supplied 25% of Europe's hyperbolic towers in 2023, with projects worth EUR 150 million
07
GEA Group AG's cooling tower segment earned EUR 320 million in 2023, up 9% from 2022
08
Bell Cooling Tower Inc. held 18% US market share in 2023 with 5,500 installations serviced
09
Toshiba Carrier supplied 2,200 cooling towers to data centers in 2023, revenue USD 280 million
10
Kuhlman Cooling Systems achieved 11% market penetration in petrochemical sector in 2023 with USD 190 million sales
11
Delta Cooling Towers Inc. produced 3,800 modular units in 2023, exporting to 45 countries for USD 220 million
12
Johnson Controls International's cooling tower line generated USD 750 million in 2023, 14% global HVAC share
13
Thermax Ltd. in India sold 4,200 cooling towers in FY2023 for INR 32 billion revenue
14
Ciotta Srl supplied 1,200 industrial towers in Italy 2023, holding 28% domestic market
15
Worldwide Cooling Tower Inc. serviced 10,000 units in North America 2023, USD 150 million service revenue
16
Alfa Laval AB's cooling solutions division reported SEK 2.1 billion in 2023 from towers and exchangers
17
Ebara Corporation shipped 6,500 cooling towers globally in FY2023, revenue JPY 85 billion
18
Lanxess AG provided chemical treatments for 20% of global cooling towers in 2023, USD 400 million
19
Mitsubishi Heavy Industries thermal systems included 2,800 cooling towers sold in 2023 for USD 510 million
Interpretation
Manufacturers And Companies Interpretation
Manufacturers in the Cooling Tower industry showed clear scale and geographic reach in 2023, with SPX Cooling Technologies leading at 22% global market share and companies like EVAPCO exporting 40% of its USD 480 million sales to Asia Pacific.
More related reading
04 · Category
Market Size And Growth20 stats
01
The global cooling tower market was valued at USD 2.73 billion in 2022 and is expected to grow to USD 3.97 billion by 2030 at a CAGR of 4.8% driven by increasing demand in power generation and HVAC sectors
02
In 2023, North America held a 35% share of the global cooling tower market revenue, primarily due to stringent energy efficiency regulations in the US and Canada
03
The Asia-Pacific cooling tower market is projected to register the highest CAGR of 5.6% from 2024 to 2032, fueled by rapid industrialization in China and India
04
Cooling tower sales in the petrochemical industry segment grew by 6.2% YoY in 2023, reaching USD 450 million globally
05
The wet cooling tower segment dominated the market with 72% revenue share in 2022, owing to superior heat rejection efficiency
06
Europe’s cooling tower market size stood at EUR 780 million in 2023, with a projected growth to EUR 1.1 billion by 2028 at 7.1% CAGR
07
Induced draft cooling towers accounted for 58% of new installations worldwide in 2023, valued at USD 1.6 billion
08
The US cooling tower market expanded by 4.3% in 2023 to USD 950 million, driven by data center expansions
09
Global cooling tower retrofit market reached USD 680 million in 2022, expected to hit USD 1.2 billion by 2030 at 7.5% CAGR
10
Middle East cooling tower market grew 8.2% in 2023 to USD 320 million due to oil & gas sector investments
11
The power generation sector consumed 42% of global cooling tower capacity in 2023, totaling 150 GW thermal equivalent
12
China's cooling tower market was valued at CNY 12.5 billion in 2023, with 5.9% YoY growth from manufacturing boom
13
Hyperbolic cooling towers in nuclear plants numbered 450 globally in 2023, representing 28% of market installations
14
Latin America cooling tower market projected to reach USD 450 million by 2028 from USD 310 million in 2023 at 7.8% CAGR
15
FRP cooling towers captured 25% market share in 2023 with sales of USD 700 million due to corrosion resistance
16
India’s cooling tower industry grew 6.7% in FY2023 to INR 45 billion, led by thermal power projects
17
Commercial HVAC cooling towers market hit USD 1.1 billion globally in 2023, up 5.1% from prior year
18
Africa cooling tower market size was USD 180 million in 2023, expected to double by 2030 with mining sector demand
19
Counterflow cooling towers held 55% revenue share in 2022 at USD 1.5 billion, preferred for space efficiency
20
Global cooling tower maintenance services market valued at USD 890 million in 2023, growing at 6.4% CAGR
Interpretation
Market Size And Growth Interpretation
The global cooling tower market is expanding steadily from USD 2.73 billion in 2022 to USD 3.97 billion by 2030 at a 4.8% CAGR, with Asia Pacific set to grow fastest at 5.6% from 2024 to 2032, underscoring sustained market size growth across regions in the Market Size And Growth category.
05 · Category
Technology And Types18 stats
01
Forced draft cooling towers comprised 45% of new installations in 2023, valued at USD 1.2 billion for compact designs
02
Hybrid cooling towers market grew to USD 850 million in 2023, combining wet and dry for water conservation
03
Plume abatement technology in cooling towers reduced visible emissions by 95% in 65% of EU installations by 2023
04
Modular cooling towers increased adoption by 22% in 2023, with 12,000 units shipped for easy scalability
05
Geothermal cooling towers integrated in 15% of new HVAC systems in 2023, enhancing efficiency by 30%
06
Dry cooling towers market reached USD 450 million in 2023, up 12% for arid regions like Middle East
07
Variable speed fans in cooling towers saved 25% energy in 40% of retrofits completed in 2023
08
Natural draft towers efficiency improved 8% with new hyperbolic designs tested in 2023
09
IoT-enabled cooling towers numbered 25,000 globally in 2023, reducing downtime by 35%
10
Timber cooling towers declined to 5% market share in 2023, replaced by composite materials
11
Closed-circuit cooling towers grew 18% in sales to USD 650 million in 2023 for process cooling
12
Ultrasonic water treatment in cooling towers eliminated 90% chemical use in 2,500 systems 2023
13
BIM modeling used in 55% of new cooling tower designs in 2023 for optimized layouts
14
High-temperature cooling towers for 60°C water handled 15% more capacity in 2023 innovations
15
Legionella detection sensors installed in 30% of US towers by 2023, reducing risks by 75%
16
3D-printed cooling tower components reduced lead times by 40% in 500 projects 2023
17
Supercritical CO2 cooling towers piloted in 10 plants 2023 with 20% better efficiency
18
Noise reduction tech in cooling towers met <65 dB standards in 70% new EU installs 2023
Interpretation
Technology And Types Interpretation
In 2023, cooling tower technology and types shifted decisively toward hybrid and dry solutions and cleaner designs, with hybrid towers reaching USD 850 million and plume abatement cutting visible emissions by 95% in 65% of EU installations.
Reference
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APA
Elena Vasquez. (2026, February 13). Cooling Tower Industry Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/cooling-tower-industry-statistics
MLA
Elena Vasquez. "Cooling Tower Industry Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/cooling-tower-industry-statistics.
Chicago
Elena Vasquez. 2026. "Cooling Tower Industry Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/cooling-tower-industry-statistics.
Sources & references
95 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level