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Below is a segment from a report in 2009 outlining the position of manufacturers in the Chinese Smart Meter Market . Of the major players in other aspects of the smart grid, GE and IBM are taking the lead in the market. The State Grid is collaborating with GE to roll out a smart grid trial project in Yangzhou in Jiangsu province, and IBM has formed a joint venture with ENN Group, a Chinese energy provider, to form a joint venture to develop innovative energy services and promote intelligent city programmes throughout China. Intel has also signed an agreement with the government to use its servers for grid simulations. Other companies have also announced intentions to move into the Chinese smart grid market e.g. Cisco, and China Electric Power Technology Holdings has announced its intention to partner with foreign companies to offer an integrated smart grid solution to the Chinese market. The ability of foreign businesses to gain a foothold in the market maybe limited due to...

Several companies producing smart meters already have a presence in China through their conventional meter products. NARI, Landis and Gyr, EPRI, Wasion, Keli and other companies produce for new residences and as replacement meters. These meters are usually placed below ground, unlike meters in the UK and US, for example. In November 2009 the State Grid held the first auction for 2.9 million smart meters. To date the State Grid has closed two of its planned four tenders for 26 million smart meter units for 2010. The first two tenders cover Shanghai, Congqing and Shenyang. Jiangsu Linyang, Shenzhen Clou Electronic and Wasion were awarded the contract for the first tender, and Wasion has been awarded tenders for the bulk of smart meters to date. In addition Wasion won the bids for the seven power meter and data collection terminal products announced by Guangdong Power Grid, the provincial power company for Southern Power. Other companies that have been awarded tenders are locate...

Grid operators are investing heavily in electric vehicle charging stations. China is expected become the main market for battery and plug-in hybrid vehicles in the mid-term and the largest market for battery electric vehicles. The number of electric vehicles on the road is forecasts to reach between 1 and 5 million electric vehicles by 2020. Two key policies which promoted the development of the electric vehicles included: 10% of cars on the road must be emission-free by 2013 and 20% of power has to come from renewable resources by 2020. The State Grid has published six standards for electric vehicles and electric vehicle infrastructure, and by the end of the year plans to have completed 75 charging stations; 6,209 AC charging spots and battery replacement stations are proposed. Already the State Grid has commissioned 101 electric vehicles, 30 pilot charging stations and, through the Beijing municipal government, 7 electric bus lanes and 58 electric buses. The National China Gr...

Several parts of the world are experiencing water stress and high water bills, and stemming water leaks and conservation is becoming more important. While a lot of attention has been given to the electric smart grid, there is potentially an equally large market for a water smart grid.  IBM estimates that the market for a water smart grid could be worth US $10 billion for just the information technology side of the business. Leaks are a major problem for utilities, with the water infrastructure in some cities at more than fifty years old, this problem is growing. Currently utilities only monitor major leaks at intersections in a pipeline network but not small leaks that, if left alone, can disrupt water pressure, larger leakages and undermine pavements. Smart fire hydrants could be used to detect small leaks in some countries and relay this information back to the utility. For example, Mueller Systems’ Mi Hydrant can wirelessly transmit data on water flow on demand or at set...

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What started out as a concept with many opponents and skeptics, has finally reached a turning point in our way of thinking about transportation in the future. Electric vehicles , though still largely outnumbered by “conventional” cars are steadily rising in numbers thanks to overall costs coming down for consumers, and the expansion of infrastructure to support electric vehicles. One of the problems still facing electric vehicles, and this is becoming apparent now that the first EVs are getting older, is that of the longevity of the battery. For new buyers, this is not as significant a problem as these purchasers are getting the vehicle in its peak condition. However, EVs coming on to the second-hand market are faced with limitations to range and reliability not faced by conventional second hand cars. In addition to a lower resale value, the cost of EV’s is still higher than combustion engine vehicles or even electric hybrid vehicles. The reason for these higher costs is ...

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