Even as Fremont, Calif.-based Delta Products Corporation announced on Jan. 3 that it had received nearly $2 million in funding from the U.S. Department of Energy to research smart-grid-enabled electric vehicle chargers over the next three years, a report from Boulder, Colo.-based Pike Research was released concurrently, touting continuing growth in the smart grid and smart meter sectors–especially in North America and China.
According to Pike Research’s (News - Alert) findings, global smart meter shipments reached 19.2 million in 3Q 2011 -- a 5.3 percent increase over 2Q 2011.
The study finds that smart meter and smart grid deployments rose significantly last year, particularly in North America. A number of large projects have been announced and key vendors have been selected to provide utilities with meters, communications modules, and meter data management services. Smart meter shipments in China continue to grow as well.
According to the new “Smart Grid Deployment Tracker” report from Pike Research, during the second and third quarters of 2011, three major utilities in North America announced deployments of advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) covering several million customers:
· Consumers Energy, chose Jackson, Miss.-based SmartSynch to help build an advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) system for 1.8 million customers in Michigan;
· BC Hydro selected Liberty Lake, Wash.-based Itron to supply 1.8 million new meters over the next two years to customers in Canada; and
· Hydro-Quebec chose Zug, Switzerland-based Landis+Gyr to supply the bulk of the 3.75 million smart meters it plans to deploy over the next five years.
As for Delta Products, it teamed up with electric utility and automotive manufacturing companies in North America to develop innovative electric vehicle supply equipment (EVSE) to minimize the cost of communications between charger and grid, and meet local demand for smart charging.
“Global smart grid deployments continue to enjoy strong growth momentum, particularly those involving smart meter rollouts,” said Pike Senior Analyst Neil Strother. “Projects continue to expand in the United States and Canada, and we are seeing the beginning stages of a massive smart meter deployment in China.”
Pike Research’s analysis indicates that in North America, Landis+Gyr maintained its market domination, with a 25 percent share of cumulative smart meter vendor selections, in terms of total endpoints, as of 3Q 2011. The smart meter vendor’s market leadership was buoyed significantly by its win at Hydro-Quebec.
Itron achieved second place, with 22 percent of cumulative utility selections; and Raleigh, N.C.-based Sensus and Fairfield, Conn.-based GE Energyy were tied for third place, each holding a 16 percent share of selections as of 3Q 2011.
Pike Research’s “Smart Grid Deployment Tracker,” updated quarterly, provides detailed analysis of worldwide utility smart grid and smart meter programs including tracking of customer endpoints, metering vendors, communications vendors, and systems integrators. The tracker includes a tactical examination of technologies, deployment timeframes, and vendor selections for each utility deployment, along with vendor selection share analysis. An executive summary of the report is available for free download on the firm’s website.
Cheryl Kaften is an accomplished communicator who has written for consumer and corporate audiences. She has worked extensively for MasterCard (News - Alert) Worldwide, Philip Morris USA (Altria), and KPMG, and has consulted for Estee Lauder and the Philadelphia Inquirer Newspapers. To read more of her articles, please visit her columnist page.Edited by
Tammy Wolf 
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