Smart Maintenance Technology Solutions Will Enable Aging Grid to Meet Increasing Demand
Much of the power grid infrastructure in developed countries is several decades old. Indeed, the average age of equipment on the grid in North America is between 40 and 50 years old, and much of it on the distribution segment, has little or no automation, particularly in remote areas. By some estimates, more than half of the installed transformers are nearing the end of their operation lives, or have already exceeded them.
Smart maintenance technology (SMT) solutions for power transmission and distribution predict potential asset failures and allow the utility workforce to improve grid availability and throughput by reducing load of overloaded infrastructure and scheduling repairs at times that least affect production. They recommend potential actions to allow the workforce to take re- medial action to prevent the failure of critical assets.
The SMT solutions market for power T&D is arguably in its formative stages as both suppliers and power grid operators come to appreciate the benefits of asset management technology and improved maintenance practices for grid reliability.
The market is poised for strong growth in coming years as a number of factors converge to drive adoption of asset management solutions, including increased demand for electricity, the proliferation of the smart grid, and the aging of both the power infrastructure and utility workforce.
Strategic Issues
This study is intended to help suppliers and end users stay on top of emerging trends and changes in the asset management landscape for power transmission and distribution. This study also explores key issues that will impact this marketplace in the future. These issues include:
- How large is the market potential for T&D asset management?
- Who are the leading suppliers and what solutions do they provide?
- How big a role will service play in SMT for T&D?
- Which category of assets is garnering the most benefit from SMT investments?
- What are the key elements for success in SMT for T&D?
