Greentech Lead America: Worldwide smart meter shipments
totaled 18 million units in the second quarter of 2012, up sequentially by
nearly 19 percent, according to new report from Pike Research.
China accounted for the vast majority of global
shipments, with 73 percent of the market in the quarter, according to the
report. Chinese planners have apparently decided to forge ahead with major
deployments despite a slowing economy, as a robust electric grid remains a key
component of the country’s plans for sustained growth.
Similarly, the European market demonstrated significant
increases despite economic headwinds, as smart meter rollouts gained momentum
in Spain and the United Kingdom.
Even in North America, where the pace of deployments has
slowed in recent months, meter shipments grew in the second quarter from the
first three months of the year, the study concludes.
“The second quarter shipment gains are encouraging, but
in North America shipments will start to dwindle as major smart metering
projects reach completion this year,” says senior research analyst Neil
Strother.
“The next phase of growth is shifting to projects in
Western Europe and Latin America, where sizeable deployments are expected in
the next couple of years,” said Strother. “And, of course, China continues to
deploy at a rapid pace as it strives to fulfill its goal of some 300 million
smart meters by mid-decade.”