Global Smart Infrastructure - Smart Grids and Smart Meter Trends and Statistics

Synopsis

In 2014 there is a much better understanding of the concept of the smart grid and few energy companies would now embark on isolated smart meter rollouts; however some still continue to do so. It has become increasingly clear that smart grids are able to transform the energy industry, and that a much broader group of industries are also affected by this including IT, telecoms, white goods, renewables, management consultants, storage, transport, etc. 

The electricity grid is becoming the enabler in all these changes, and by making it an intelligent grid and adding telecoms to it, the power will shift away from the electricity companies to the customers – and the appliances that will be developed will assist this process; some of that on a M2M basis using networked sensors and SCaDa technology. Another term being used for these broader developments is the Internet of Things (IoT).

This BuddeComm report is designed to provide a current smart grid market overview as well as insightful observations supported by statistics and examples, which may assist investors, analysts and industry participants in making investment and business decisions. 

Latest developments:

The smart grid movement has now set down its roots and smart technology is now well and truly on the agenda of most electricity companies, and indeed on many of their governments’ political agendas; However we recently witnessed a lull in smart grid developments; after some early enthusiasm from 2007 to 2012 we now seem to have arrived at a period of regrouping and rethinking; China and the US have some of the largest smart grid markets in terms of value - these two countries have also been large investors in the technology; Broadband Powerline (BPL) transmitting higher data rates (Mbps) on the energy distribution grid has emerged as one of the most promising solution for smart grids.

Table of Contents

• 1. Synopsis
• 2. Smart grids analysis
  • 2.1 Smart Grid 2.0
    • 2.1.1 Industry started off on the wrong foot
    • 2.1.2 Escalating costs beyond the meter
    • 2.1.3 Strategic mistakes from governments and the energy industry
    • 2.1.4 This is resulting in a rethink and a regrouping
• 3. Smart energy for the future
  • 3.1 Why solar may not be the biggest threat to energy utilities
• 4. Smart grid vision
  • 4.1 Smart grids in need of strategic plans
  • 4.2 Trans-sector policies and an holistic approach required
• 5. Global smart grid market
  • 5.1 Overview
  • 5.2 Smart grid equipment statistics
  • 5.3 Smart grid benefits and challenges
  • 5.4 Smart grid market value and investment
  • 5.5 smart grid cyber security
  • 5.6 Interest in smart grids by utilities grows
    • 5.6.1 Two examples of utility led projects
  • 5.7 Partnerships and consolidation
  • 5.8 Smart grids and mobile technology
    • 5.8.1 WiMAX Forum issues iGRID certifications
• 6. Disruptive developments in smart grids
• 7. Global smart meter market
  • 7.1 Smart meter shipments and installed base
  • 7.2 Smart meter revenues
  • 7.3 Smart meter deployment
• 8. Where are the government leaders?
  • 8.1 No smart grids without government leadership
  • 8.2 Confusion regarding regulations
  • 8.3 Muni Smart Grids
• 9. Remember the consumer
  • 9.1 Delighting and exciting electricity customers
  • 9.2 What’s in it for the customer?
    • 9.2.1 Social and economic benefits
    • 9.2.2 Privacy issues
    • 9.2.3 Technology concerns
    • 9.2.4 Safety issues
    • 9.2.5 Vulnerable consumer groups
    • 9.2.6 More transparency required
    • 9.2.7 A need to re-invent the customer relationship
• 10. A concept, not a single technology
  • 10.1 Electricity companies and the Internet of Things
  • 10.2 M2M a key component
  • 10.3 From SCaDa to IoT
• 11. Related reports

• Table 1 - International electricity price table comparison – 2013
• Table 2 – Value of the global smart grid market – 2012; 2016; 2020
• Table 3 – Investment in the global smart grid market – 2012; 2013
• Table 4 – Smart meter installed base – leading countries - 2020

• Exhibit 1 - ITU approves smart grid standards
• Exhibit 2 – Smart grid applications
• Exhibit 3 – Global Smart Grid Federation (GSGF)
• Exhibit 4 – Challenges smart grids can address
• Exhibit 5 – Field trials led by FINESCE
• Exhibit 6 - International Smart Grid Action Network
• Exhibit 7 – Examples of leading smart meter manufacturers
• Exhibit 8 – Replacing old electricity meters
• Exhibit 9 - Smart grid as a cloud service