Growth in the smart electric meter market has cooled during the last year, even though strong market drivers remain in place on which utilities can build a business case. Although the direct operational and societal benefits of smart meters and the broader benefits of smart grids that are enabled by smart meters continue to be debated among policymakers, utilities, regulators, and consumers, penetration rates continue to climb, reaching nearly 39 percent in North America in 2012.
According to a recent report from Navigant Research, the worldwide installed base of smart meters will grow from 313 million in 2013 to nearly 1.1 billion in 2022.
“It’s safe to say that the smart meter market has reached its first post-frenzy era – but this is a lull, not a permanent slowdown,” says Neil Strother, senior research analyst with Navigant Research. “The one major exception is China, where the national 5-year plan involves not only new metering but also major upgrades to transmission systems, distribution networks, and generating capabilities.”
Deployments in North America will begin to recover after 2014, the study concludes, although the pace of new shipments is unlikely to match the levels witnessed in the recent past. The growth in installed base will come primarily from medium-sized and smaller utilities that will shift to smart meters as they build business cases for upgrading their metering infrastructure.
The report, “Smart Meters”, examines the global market opportunity for smart electric meters, analyzing the drivers, market challenges, and technology issues that will shape the market over the coming decade. The report provides market forecasts through 2022 for smart electric meter shipments, penetration rates, and revenue, segmented by region. Key vendor profiles are also included.
