Dive Summary:
- According to Pike Research, power line communications systems for smart grid applications will grow to more than $418 million by 2020.
- The anticipated spike in revenue is due to the expansion of smart grids and the need for utilities to connect meters to not only each other but also to their control centers.
- Modern two-way power line systems allow bidirectional communication between meters and the utility, which provides advanced functionality.
From the article:
"Shipments of PLC nodes will grow steadily over the remainder of the decade, as utilities complete advanced metering initiatives to comply with various mandates and deadlines," says senior research analyst Neil Strother. "PLC systems offer economic advantages that include lower capital costs compared with other communications systems, as well as the advantage of owning the communications system outright, instead of leasing it from a cellular provider or other third-party entity." ...