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Research and Markets Offers Report: Global Smart Infrastructure - The Smart Grid and M2M Movement [Professional Services Close - Up]
[September 15, 2013]

Research and Markets Offers Report: Global Smart Infrastructure - The Smart Grid and M2M Movement [Professional Services Close - Up]


(Professional Services Close - Up Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) Research and Markets has announced the addition of the "Global Smart Infrastructure - The Smart Grid and M2M Movement" report to its offerings.

In a release, Research and Markets noted that report highlights include: This annual report titled: Global Smart Infrastructure - The Smart Grid and M2M Movement offers a wealth of information on the global smart grid sector and is a key resource of insights, statistics, examples and trends. It provides important insights into the smart grid and smart energy industry and identifies the key trends which will play an important role in the future. The report provides trends and statistics on the development and deployment of smart meters and also includes unique and valuable case studies on smart grid developments in the USA, Australia, Europe and Africa.



Highlights Resource And Energy Management Are Hot Issues All Around The World Governments and society are beginning to understand that energy savings and environment sustainability are important national issues that have an economic value as well. The focus on energy savings and sustainability linked to the rapid development of smart technologies is seeing the focus shift from smart meter rollouts - to the broader issues of smart grids. These developments should be considered in the broader context of the modernisation of electricity networks through the introduction of sensing, communications and information technology into the grid - also known as machine-to-machine (M2M).

The energy sector is one of the last to face the transformation forced upon them by technical, social and political developments. While the writing has been on the wall for some time - initially driven by environmental and sustainability issues - it was not until consumer energy prices started to increase that the foundations of this industry were questioned, at which point the sector was thoroughly scrutinised by the consumers, media and the politicians. At that time it became clear that the industry had failed to keep up with social change and with changes in technology. It now faces significant challenges, both in relation to sustainability and to price increases.


Despite this increased understanding - in 2013 there seems to be a lull in smart grid developments after the early enthusiasm from 2007 to 2012. We now seem to have arrived at a period of regrouping and rethinking. Around the world some smart meter rollouts have been completed and some are still underway. However, the process has often been interrupted by consumer outcries and political intervention. The main reason for this has been the initial strategic mistake, made when electricity companies embarked on smart meter rollouts more or less as a stand-alone project. Most of these rollouts were based on facilitating time of use (ToU) pricing that would give the electricity companies the opportunity to increase prices at times of peak demand in order to better manage their network.

The telcos are looking at the broader market of M2M as a key revenue earner for the future and BuddeComm forecasts that sensors and other devices installed within the energy infrastructures will constitute 40 percent-50 percent of the overall M2M market. So obviously this is a key target market and it is most likely that the electricity industry will become the largest user of M2M networks.

With a better understanding of the complexity involved in the transformation of the electricity industry; the words smart energy' are becoming more prominent. BuddeComm believes that the term smart grids' is too narrow and that eventually smart energy' will become the accepted terminology, especially once the communications developments in national broadband networks and mobile broadband start to converge with smart grid developments.

Key Topics Covered 1. Smart Grids Insights and Developments 1.1 Smart Grids and M2M 1.2 Smart Grids - An Holistic Approach Leads to Smart Cities 2. Smart Meters and Home Network Automation 2.1 Smart Meters Market Overview 2.2 Smart Home Network Automation Systems 3. Smart Grids and Energy Transformation 3.1 Smart Grids and the Energy Industry 4. Smart Grids and Consumer Issues 4.1 Customers need to become central 5. Selected Case Studies from around the World Research and Markets is a source for market research reports and market data.

More Information: www.researchandmarkets.com/research/4xrjlh/global_smart ((Comments on this story may be sent to [email protected])) (c) 2013 ProQuest Information and Learning Company; All Rights Reserved.

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