Electricity Transmission Infrastructure

Driven by policy initiatives and a renewed industry focus, significant capital investments are being made to expand and extend transmission grids. Thousands of miles of new transmission lines are being built and existing systems are being retrofitted to add new capacity and greater monitoring capabilities.

Many different forces are driving these developments. In some countries, burgeoning populations and thriving economies are creating increases in electricity demand.

Even where demand is relatively flat, renewable energy (solar and wind energy) and the smart grid have created the need for increased transmission capacity and the increased use of phasor measurement units (PMUs), Wide Area Monitoring Systems, and transmission automation.

In North America, Europe, and many other regions, cross-border transmission projects are being developed to relieve power shortages and to feed competitive electricity markets. In all of these areas, technological advancements such as High Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) and high-temperature superconductors are increasingly being utilized for specialized transmission applications.

This Pike Research report analyzes the global transmission market and provides forecasts for transmission expenditures in each region through 2020. The report also includes market segmentation information by transmission technology category for the United States, China, and Europe.

Pike Research’s analysis of the U.S. market examines regulatory issues, federal transmission planning, and cost allocation approaches. The report includes profiles of key industry players and utility and merchant transmission project business models.

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