Utilities have been sending data and communications signals through power lines for nearly a century, but the increased deployment of advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) has thrust this type of communication into the spotlight. In particular, metering efforts in Europe and Asia Pacific rely on both proprietary and standards-based implementations of narrowband power line communication (PLC) technology to enable two-way communications between the utility and the meter. These systems open up a new class of applications that will provide both utilities and consumers with greater control over their energy usage.
While there is a wide range of narrowband PLC technologies currently in use, several standards-based technologies are being promoted and deployed, particularly in Europe. These systems not only aid in equipment interoperability, but also drive down the cost of future implementations by utilities that choose to use standardized technologies.
This Pike Research report focuses on the various types of PLC technology used today 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 8 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.
Key Questions Addressed:
- What are the leading standards used for narrowband PLC?
- Which regions are projected to demonstrate the fastest adoption of PLC?
- To what extent will broadband PLC impact the neighborhood area network communications market?
- What are the major technical challenges involved with PLC?
- How do the various PLC technologies differ, and what are the advantages/disadvantages of each?
- What are the forecasts for unit shipments, revenue, and average selling prices through 2020?
Who needs this report?
- Meter manufacturers
- AMI technology providers and system integrators
- Semiconductor and component manufacturers
- Utilities
- Technology standards associations
- Investor community
Table of Contents
1. Executive Summary
1.1 Introduction
1.1.1 Types of Narrowband Communications
1.1.2 Broadband over Power Line Communications
1.2 Current Utilization
1.3 Market Forecasts
2. Market Issues
2.1 PLC and the Smart Grid
2.2 Market Drivers for PLC
2.2.1 Ubiquitous Infrastructure
2.2.2 Wide Area Coverage
2.2.3 Advantageous Cost Structure
2.3 Market Opportunities, Challenges, and Environment
2.3.1 Current Utilization
2.3.2 Technical Challenges
2.3.3 Interoperability and Standards
2.3.4 Market Shifts and Future Utilization
2.4 Current Market Deployments
2.4.1 Key Countries/Regions
2.4.1.1 North America
2.4.1.2 Europe
2.4.1.2.1. Western Europe
2.4.1.2.2. Eastern Europe
2.4.1.3 Asia Pacific
2.4.1.3.1. China
2.4.1.3.2. Japan
2.4.1.3.3. South Korea
2.4.1.3.4. Other Southeast Asian Countries
2.4.1.4 Other Developing Regions
2.4.1.4.1. Brazil
2.4.1.4.2. India
2.4.1.4.3. Middle East and Africa
3. Technology Issues
3.1 PLC Technology
3.2 PLC Modem Functionality
3.3 Types of Power Line Technology
3.4 Frequency Bands
3.4.1 United States
3.4.2 Europe
3.4.3 Japan
3.4.4 China
3.5 Low-speed PLC Technologies
3.5.1 One-way Communications
3.5.2 Two-way Communications
3.5.3 Configuration
3.5.4 Frequencies
3.5.5 Modulation
3.5.6 Typical Uses
3.5.7 Benefits
3.5.8 Limitations
3.6 Narrowband PLC
3.6.1 Configuration
3.6.2 Frequencies
3.6.3 Modulation
3.6.3.1 PSK
3.6.3.2 FSK/B-FSK
3.6.3.3 QPSK
3.6.3.4 OFDM
3.7 Examples of Popular N-PLC Systems
3.7.1 Turtle by Landis+Gyr
3.7.2 Echelon LonWorks
3.7.3 PoweRline Intelligent Metering Evolution (PRIME)
3.7.4 G3-PLC
3.7.5 Meters and More
3.7.6 IEC 61334 Standards
3.7.7 CENELEC EN 50090 (Konnex/KNX)
3.7.8 IEEE P1901.2
3.8 Broadband over Power Line
3.9 Performance Caveats
3.10 Future Developments
3.11 Data Security
4. Key Industry Players
4.1 Selected Utility Profiles
4.1.1 China Southern Power Grid
4.1.2 Duke Energy
4.1.3 Endesa
4.1.4 Enel
4.1.5 Electricité Réseau Distribution France
4.1.6 Iberdrola
4.1.7 State Grid Corporation of China
4.1.8 Vattenfall AB
4.2 PLC System and Platform Providers
4.2.1 ABB
4.2.2 Aclara
4.2.3 CURRENT
4.2.4 Echelon
4.2.5 Elster
4.2.6 Iskraemeco
4.2.7 Itron
4.2.8 Landis+Gyr
4.2.9 Power Plus Communications
4.3 Semiconductor Companies
4.3.1 Accent S.p.A.
4.3.2 EnVerv
4.3.3 Freescale Semiconductor
4.3.4 Renesas Electronics Corp.
4.3.5 Semitech Semiconductor Pte. Ltd.
4.3.6 STMicroelectronics
4.3.7 Texas Instruments
4.4 Technology Standards Organizations
4.4.1 G3-PLC Alliance
4.4.2 PRIME Alliance
4.4.3 Meters and More
4.4.4 International Telecommunications Union (ITU)
4.4.5 International Electrotechnical Commission
5. Market Forecasts
5.1 Forecast Introduction
5.1.1 PLC Forecast Methodology
5.2 PLC Forecasts by Region, World Markets
5.3 PLC Forecasts by Technology, World Markets
5.4 PLC Forecasts by Technology, North America
5.5 PLC Forecasts by Technology, Europe
5.5.1 Western Europe
5.5.2 Eastern Europe
5.6 PLC Forecasts by Technology, Asia Pacific
5.6.1 China
5.6.2 Southeast Asia
5.6.3 Rest of Asia Pacific
5.7 PLC Forecasts by Technology, Latin America
5.8 PLC Forecasts by Technology, Middle East and Africa
5.9 Conclusions and Recommendations
6. Company Directory
7. Acronym and Abbreviation List
8. Table of Contents
9. Table of Charts and Figures
10. Scope of Study, Sources and Methodology, Notes
List of Charts and Figures
- PLC Node Unit Shipments by Region, World Markets: 2011-2020
- PLC Node Total Revenue by Region, World Markets: 2011-2020
- PLC Node Unit Shipments by Technology, World Markets: 2011-2020
- PLC Node Revenue by Technology, World Markets: 2011
- PLC Node Revenue by Technology, World Markets: 2020
- PLC Node Unit Shipments by Technology, North America: 2011-2020
- PLC Node ASP by Technology, North America: 2011-2020
- PLC Node Revenue by Technology, North America: 2011-2020
- PLC Node Unit Shipments by Technology, Europe: 2011-2020
- PLC Node ASP by Technology, Europe: 2011-2020
- PLC Node Unit Shipments by Technology, Western Europe: 2011-2020
- PLC Node Revenue by Technology, Western Europe: 2011-2020
- PLC Node Unit Shipments by Technology, Eastern Europe: 2011-2020
- PLC Node Unit Shipments by Technology, Asia Pacific: 2011-2020
- PLC Node ASP by Technology, Asia Pacific: 2011-2020
- PLC Node Revenue by Technology, Asia Pacific: 2011-2020
- PLC Node Unit Shipments by Technology, China: 2011-2020
- PLC Node Revenue by Technology, China: 2011-2020
- PLC Node Unit Shipments by Technology, Southeast Asia: 2011-2020
- PLC Node Revenue by Technology, Southeast Asia: 2011-2020
- PLC Node Unit Shipments by Technology, Rest of Asia Pacific: 2011-2020
- PLC Node Unit Shipments by Technology, Latin America: 2011-2020
- PLC Node ASP by Technology, Latin America: 2011-2020
- PLC Node Unit Shipments by Technology, Middle East and Africa: 2011-2020
- PLC Node Revenue by Technology, Middle East and Africa: 2011-2020
- PLC Node Revenue by Technology, World Markets: 2011-2020
- PLC Node Unit Shipments by Technology, United States: 2011-2020
- PLC Node Unit Shipments by Technology, Canada: 2011-2020
- PLC Node Revenue by Technology, Europe: 2011-2020
- PLC Node Revenue by Technology, Eastern Europe: 2011-2020
- PLC Node Revenue by Technology, Rest of Asia Pacific: 2011-2020
- PLC Node Revenue by Technology, Latin America: 2011-2020
- PLC Node ASP by Technology, Middle East and Africa: 2011-2020
List of Tables
- Typical Categories of PLC Networking
- N-PLC Technologies
- Common Frequency Bands for PLC Utility Communications
- Comparison of Modulation Schemes
- PLC Node Unit Shipments by Region, World Markets: 2011-2020
- PLC Node Total Revenue by Region, World Markets: 2011-2020
- PLC Node Unit Shipments by Technology, World Markets: 2011-2020
- PLC Node Revenue by Technology, World Markets: 2011-2020
- PLC Node Unit Shipments by Narrowband Technology, World Markets: 2011-2020
- PLC Node Revenue by Narrowband Technology, World Markets: 2011-2020
- PLC Node Revenue by Region and Technology, World Markets: 2011
- PLC Node Revenue by Region and Technology, World Markets: 2020
- PLC Node Unit Shipments by Technology, North America: 2011-2020
- PLC Node ASP by Technology, North America: 2011-2020
- PLC Node Revenue by Technology, North America: 2011-2020
- PLC Node Unit Shipments by Technology, United States: 2011-2020
- PLC Node Revenue by Technology, United States: 2011-2020
- PLC Node Unit Shipments by Technology, Canada: 2011-2020
- PLC Node Revenue by Technology, Canada: 2011-2020
- PLC Node Unit Shipments by Technology, Europe: 2011-2020
- PLC Node ASP by Technology, Europe: 2011-2020
- PLC Node Revenue by Technology, Europe: 2011-2020
- PLC Node Unit Shipments by Technology, Western Europe: 2011-2020
- PLC Node Revenue by Technology, Western Europe: 2011-2020
- PLC Node Unit Shipments by Technology, Eastern Europe: 2011-2020
- PLC Node Revenue by Technology, Eastern Europe: 2011-2020
- PLC Node Unit Shipments by Technology, Asia Pacific: 2011-2020
- PLC Node ASP by Technology, Asia Pacific: 2011-2020
- PLC Node Revenue by Technology, Asia Pacific: 2011-2020
- PLC Node Unit Shipments by Technology, China: 2011-2020
- PLC Node Revenue by Technology, China: 2011-2020
- PLC Node Unit Shipments by Technology, Southeast Asia: 2011-2020
- PLC Node Revenue by Technology, Southeast Asia: 2011-2020
- PLC Node Unit Shipments by Technology, Rest of Asia Pacific: 2011-2020
- PLC Node Revenue by Technology, Rest of Asia Pacific: 2011-2020
- PLC Node Unit Shipments by Technology, Latin America: 2011-2020
- PLC Node ASP by Technology, Latin America: 2011-2020
- PLC Node Revenue by Technology, Latin America: 2011-2020
- PLC Node Unit Shipments by Technology, Middle East and Africa: 2011-2020
- PLC Node ASP by Technology, Middle East and Africa: 2011-2020
- PLC Node Revenue by Technology, Middle East and Africa: 2011-2020