The World Electricity Meter Report Ed Seven 2009

The World Electricity Meter Report Ed Seven 2009 has measured the largest expansion of metering, which is already under way and about to escalate significantly, both quantitatively and qualitatively.

The report is designed to meet the need of the metering industry for information at their specific request. The metering companies have given strong support and have been generous with their time and provision of information. We would like to acknowledge their generous support.

Global metering market

The world is adopting advanced metering. So far 32 countries have decided to proceed and the global metering market will increase by 56% in five years, with more to follow. However it is not all good news. Amidst these exciting developments there are traps for the unwary. There are immediate hurdles to be jumped and long-term pitfalls to be avoided.

Not every deployment will offer the same opportunities to international meter manufacturers. Some of the largest schemes are in markets that are not accessible to international vendors. To optimise the opportunity the good planner will direct resources to the countries where chances are best and the electricity meter report offers guidance on this.

Long-term, the problem is that the dynamics of the market will be totally changed in two ways. After the initial deployments in the next five to ten years two things will happen. There will be an immediate lull in demand. On current plans for AMI, the European market alone will decline by almost 60% as large swathes of the meter fleet will have been completely renewed and will need no replacement.

Basic electronic meters

Another effect of this comes with privatisation in Eastern Europe, as old electromechanical meters are being replaced by basic electronic meters, creating another category of new meter fleets. At some point after that replacement will recommence and it will be based on a shorter meter life than in the traditional electromechanical meter installations, so demand will increase.

These issues are starting and as yet are not completely mapped because full plans are not yet known. They are discussed in the report and will be addressed in increasing detail in future issues of the report. They are crucial for meter company planners. For more information, please see our website.