Tag Archives: Neil Strother

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Smart Gas Meter Revenue Will Surpass $1.5 Billion Annually by 2020, Forecasts Navigant Research

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By Business Wirevia The Motley Fool

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Smart Gas Meter Revenue Will Surpass $1.5 Billion Annually by 2020, Forecasts Navigant Research

BOULDER, Colo.–(BUSINESS WIRE)– As in the electricity meter market, gas meters for residential and commercial locations are shifting to advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) technology, which enables remote, automated interval meter reads as well as offering command and control features, increased accuracy, and the potential for enhanced energy use management. According to a recent report from Navigant Research, annual revenue from smart gas meters will grow from $258 million in 2013 to more than $1.5 billion in 2020.

“The transition to the latest gas modules connected to AMI networks is just getting started,” says Neil Strother, senior research analyst with Navigant Research. “Meters with one-way communications capabilities are now giving way to two-way devices that will open up a host of new benefits and efficiencies for both gas utilities and their customers.”

While the deployment of smart gas meters shares some characteristics with the utilization of smart electricity meters, there are significant differences in the terminology and the fundamental assumptions applied to the two markets, according to the report. Unlike electric utilities, gas utility managers can store their product and do not face the same load balancing challenges. In addition, time-of-use billing is not a priority for gas consumption, since the price does not shift dramatically during the course of a day as it does for electricity.

The report, “Smart Gas Meters”, examines the global market opportunity for smart gas meters, and analyzes the drivers and inhibitors shaping the market, along with major technology issues. The report also provides market forecasts through 2020 for smart gas meter shipments and the associated revenue, broken down by meter type and by region. Key vendor profiles, analysis of new market players, and a guide for utilities to build a business case are also included. An Executive Summary of the report is available for free download on the Navigant Research website.

About Navigant Research

Navigant Research, the dedicated research arm of Navigant, provides market research and benchmarking services for rapidly changing and often highly regulated industries. In the energy sector, Navigant Research focuses on in-depth analysis and reporting about global clean technology markets. The team’s research methodology combines supply-side industry analysis, end-user primary research and demand assessment, and deep examination of technology trends to provide a comprehensive view of the Smart Energy, Smart Utilities, Smart Transportation, Smart Industry, and Smart Buildings sectors. Additional information about Navigant Research

From: http://www.dailyfinance.com/2013/04/12/smart-gas-meter-revenue-will-surpass-15-billion-an/

Business, Finance, Occupation & Industry

Installed Base of ZigBee-Enabled Smart Energy Devices to Surpass 219 Million Units Worldwide by 2020

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By Business Wirevia The Motley Fool

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Installed Base of ZigBee-Enabled Smart Energy Devices to Surpass 219 Million Units Worldwide by 2020, Forecasts Navigant Research

BOULDER, Colo.–(BUSINESS WIRE)– In the last few years, devices based on ZigBee, the wireless communications technology, have gained significant momentum in the energy sector. Some leading U.S. utilities have deployed ZigBee-enabled smart meters, and have encouraged customers to purchase home area network (HAN) devices that can connect to such smart meters for improved energy management. ZigBee smart meter deployments are taking hold in other countries, such as australia and the United Kingdom, as well. According to a new report from Navigant Research, the worldwide installed base of ZigBee-enabled smart energy devices will grow from 39.5 million at the end of 2012 to 219.2 million devices by 2020.

“The forthcoming version of ZigBee, the Smart Energy Profile 2.0 software, is the first version to be Internet Protocol (IP)-based, allowing ZigBee devices to communicate with non-ZigBee devices, such as those using Wi-Fi or HomePlug,” says Neil Strother, senior research analyst with Navigant Research. “While this opens up a new world for ZigBee, it poses risks as other home networking technologies contend for relevance in energy management.”

In fact, most North American utilities that have deployed ZigBee radios in smart meters in recent years have yet to actually enable those radios. One reason is that few homes have HANs set up for the purposes of energy management and control, which the ZigBee energy software was designed to facilitate. Another reason, according to the report, is that utilities remain hesitant to become more active in providing products and services on the customer side of the meter. Consequently, the market for ZigBee-enabled energy products is at a crossroads.

The report, “ZigBee for Smart Energy”, analyzes the global market opportunity for ZigBee’s Smart Energy Profile, exploring key drivers and inhibitors shaping the market along with major technology issues. The report provides market forecasts through the end of the decade for shipments of ZigBee-enabled devices as well as for revenue from ZigBee modules and chips, segmented by region. Profiles of key industry players, analysis of regional trends, and a utility case study are also included. An Executive Summary of the report is available for free download on the Navigant Research website.

About Navigant Research

Navigant Research, the dedicated research arm of Navigant, provides market research and benchmarking services for rapidly changing and often highly regulated industries. In the energy sector, Navigant Research focuses on in-depth …read more

Source: FULL ARTICLE at DailyFinance

Business, Finance, Occupation & Industry

Revenue from Smart Grid Power Line Communications Systems Will Surpass $418 Million Annually by 2020

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By Business Wirevia The Motley Fool

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Revenue from Smart Grid Power Line Communications Systems Will Surpass $418 Million Annually by 2020, Forecasts Pike Research

BOULDER, Colo.–(BUSINESS WIRE)– Power line communications (PLC) systems, which allow data to be sent across power lines, are used in many segments of the electricity grid. The expansion of smart grids is fueling increased utility interest in the technology, specifically the use of PLC to handle communications across the neighborhood area network and to connect electricity or gas meters to each other and the utility’s control center. According to a recent report from Pike Research, a part of Navigant’s Energy Practice, annual revenue from PLC systems for smart grid applications will grow from $283 million in 2012 to more than $418 million by 2020.

“Shipments of PLC nodes will grow steadily over the remainder of the decade, as utilities complete advanced metering initiatives to comply with various mandates and deadlines,” says senior research analyst Neil Strother. “PLC systems offer economic advantages that include lower capital costs compared with other communications systems, as well as the advantage of owning the communications system outright, instead of leasing it from a cellular provider or other third-party entity.”

Earlier PLC systems supported one-way communication, where meter readings would be sent from end devices, such as meters, directly to a master receiver. The modern two-way system, however, allows bi-directional communications between the meter and the utility. Commands can be transmitted out from the utility to the end devices, which allows for a number of more advanced functions.

The report, “Power Line Communications for Smart Grids”, focuses on the various types of PLC technology currently used in each world region, in addition to providing forecasts and insights into the technologies and standards that will be deployed over the next decade, covering the range of technologies used in these networks, including PRIME, G3-PLC, IEEE P1901.2, and various proprietary technologies. Profiles of eight utilities and 16 key industry vendors are included, along with worldwide market forecasts through 2020, segmented by region and technology, for unit shipments, revenue, and average selling prices. An Executive Summary of the report is available for free download on the Pike Research website.

About Pike Research

Pike Research, which joined Navigant’s global Energy Practice on July 1, 2012, provides in-depth analysis of global clean technology markets. The team’s research methodology combines supply-side industry analysis, end-user primary research and demand assessment, and deep examination of technology trends to provide a comprehensive view of …read more
Source: FULL ARTICLE at DailyFinance