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Wind Turbine Controls Usage Patterns Study Underway

During April and early May, Newton-Evans Research is conducting studies on the American wind power market.  Of specific interest is the  wind turbine controls segment of the fast-growing renewables business.

We are researching the types and brands of control devices and control systems that are in use among the more than 72,000 wind turbines installed in the United States as of January 2023.¹

Importantly, most controls within the wind turbine itself are provided by the OEM – the wind turbine manufacturer.  In the U.S., that likely means one of six manufacturers that account for 90% of all utility-scale wind turbine installations as of January 2023.  Three of the six (GE, Vestas, Siemens Gamesa) accounted for a whopping 82% of wind turbine installations.  Three others (Mitsubishi, Nordex and Suzlon) account for nearly 6,000 operational wind turbines operating throughout the country.  In addition to the major OEMs, there are more than 10 other manufacturers having at least 50 or more operational U.S. wind turbine installations.  See Figure 1. (Click on the figure to expand the view).

When it comes to wind turbine controls, multi-site wind farm operators and owners have more say in determining control devices and control systems selections as needed, especially for controls that reside external to the wind turbine.   Larger wind farms configured with wind turbines from multiple manufacturers also tend to have more interest in procuring PLCs, SCADA systems and plant-wide and multi-plant control and monitoring systems.  Wind farm operators and owners also tend to make more of the turbine control selections when it comes to retrofitting wind turbines.

There are more than a dozen wind controls specialist firms actively marketing and installing pitch and yaw controls, and/or condition monitoring systems in the United States.  Many wind turbine control specialists active in the U.S. are headquartered in European countries having extensive wind power installations and decades of wind power experience, led by firms based in Denmark, with others in Spain, Germany, Austria and Italy.  Some companies provide their own fine-tuned PLCs and wind-specific SCADA systems (you can read our 2021 article on renewables SCADA here): https://www.newton-evans.com/scada-systems-for-the-renewables-energy-industry-and-adms-for-utilities/.

We are still seeking a few additional participants to two short surveys.  One survey is geared to wind farm operators/owners, and can be answered by experienced wind turbine technicians.  The second survey addresses the OEM and wind turbine controls supplier community.  If you qualify to participate, please contact Chuck Newton (cnewton@newton-evans.com) and a link to the appropriate survey will be forwarded. 

Note:  1. Wind turbine installation data is provided by the U.S. Geological Service:  https://eerscmap.usgs.gov/uswtdb/

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U.S. Substation Automation and Integration Market Expenditures Valued at $2.5 Billion in 2021

When the estimated sales of 14 product/service topics covered in the newly released 2022-2024 edition of U.S. Substation Automation Market Overview Series are totaled, the estimated value of these product/services purchased by American utilities and industrial substation sites reached $2.493 Billion in 2021. Equipment types reported in the series include RTUs, PLCs, protective relays, multifunction meters and recorders (digital fault recorders, sequence of events recorders, power quality recorders) reclosers, inter-utility revenue meters, automation platforms, time synchronization clocks, voltage regulators, communications equipment and integration services.

The total of spending on substation automation-related equipment and smart devices, along with substation integration services is on the rebound from COVID-era induced spending cutbacks. Newton-Evans Research expects investments in substation modernization to continue to grow over the next 24-36 months at a moderate rate of growth. As new substations come onto the grid to support renewable energy sites, these will be highly automated.

While automation budgets will remain a substantial portion of all substation-related budgets, additional investment is necessary to shore up grid resiliency and cyber and physical security defenses at the substation level and so these expenditures will share in the overall investment plans. The need for substation physical expansions and upratings will also continue to cause substations investments to rise.

Newton-Evans Research also finds that there are three distinct tiers of substation integration service providers. These include substation automation specialist firms, SCADA industry participants having substation devices and which also provide integration services and T&D engineering service firms having substation integration expertise.

Individual substation market overview reports are priced at $195.00 and the entire 14-report series is available for $1,150.00. Each market overview report includes a segment description, estimated market size, market shares for key participants and the U.S. market outlook through 2024.

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Newton-Evans Research Releases 2021-2023 Edition of Nine Market Snapshot Reports on Distribution Automation Topics Covering the Electric Power Industry in the United States.

Newton-Evans Research Releases 2021-2023 Edition of Nine Market Snapshot Reports on Distribution Automation Topics Covering the Electric Power Industry in the United States.

U.S. Sales of Distribution Automation Components estimated at more than $1.9 Billion in 2020, Forecast to Increase to $2.3 Billion by 2023.

August 30, 2021.  Ellicott City, Maryland.  The Newton-Evans Research Company has announced its latest publication of a set of 9 U.S. distribution automation market two-to-four-page summaries.  The new series of market overview reports (executive market summaries) includes supplier listings, representative products, and estimated market segment size, vendor market share estimates and market outlook through 2023.   Electric utilities accounted for about 92% of all purchases of distribution automation related goods and services.

A majority of distribution automation equipment purchased by American utilities and industrial firms is produced or assembled in the United States.   U.S. sales of DA components including equipment smart controllers, DA applications software licensing, dedicated communications infrastructure and DA-related engineering services, is expected to exceed $2 Billion in 2021.  Another several hundred million dollars will be spent again this year for “DA-related infrastructure equipment” including reclosers, MV voltage regulators and MV capacitors.

The Distribution Automation series ($975.00) includes U.S. 2020 market size, market share estimates and 2021-2023 market outlook for these product and service categories:

  • DA01 – Automatic Circuit Recloser Controls
  • DA02 – DA/DMS System Components (including distribution network analysis; distribution network condition monitoring and fault location and characterization)
  • DA03 – Voltage Regulator Controls
  • DA04 – Capacitor Bank Controllers
  • DA05 – Fault Indicators (covering both fault current indicators and faulted circuit indicators)
  • DA06 – Pole Top RTUs
  • DA07 – Line Mounted Monitoring Devices
  • DA08 – Communications Components for DA (covering PLC/DLC; cellular and 900Mhz)
  • DA09 – Engineering Services for Distribution Automation Projects (covering consulting engineering services, related services provided by manufacturers; DA services provided by smart grid consulting specialists)

Importantly, in the chart below, note the pivotal role played by communications networks developed specifically for distribution automation applications being implemented by utilities across the nation.  The market overview (DA08) further allocates DA communications spending estimates by three external service types: (BPL/PLC/DLC), Cellular and 900 MHz MAS.

Three related T&D market series have been published over the past several weeks by Newton-Evans. These include: Power and Distribution Transformers (14 summaries); High Voltage Equipment (15 summaries) and Medium Voltage Equipment (17 summaries).

Further information on each of the four updated T&D market overview series, and three series not yet updated from 2018, comprise more than 85 individual U.S. electric power industry market summaries.  The market overviews both series and individual reports, are available from Newton-Evans Research Company, P.O. Box 6512, Ellicott City, Maryland 21042.  Visit the reports page for a sample and to order reports online. Phone: 410-465-7316 or visit www.newton-evans.com for a brochure or to order any of the related report series or any of the more than 85 individual report summaries online.  Chuck Newton can be reached at cnewton@newton-evans.com.

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Newton-Evans Research Publishes 15 Market Snapshot Reports on High Voltage Power Equipment and Transmission Substations

March 22, 2021.  Ellicott City, Maryland.  The Newton-Evans Research Company has announced publication of a set of 15 U.S. high voltage equipment and substation market two-to-four-page summaries.  The new series of market overview reports (executive market summaries) includes supplier listings, representative products, and estimated market size for each topic, including vendor market share estimates and market outlook through 2023.   Electric utilities accounted for about 86% of HV-related equipment and transmission substation spending overall.

  • Commercial and industrial end-users accounted for more than $300 Million on substation construction projects in 2020, according to Newton-Evans’ estimates. Much of this amount was for construction of renewable energy gathering substations.
  • Substation construction represents the largest single investment area among all bulk power system components.
  • HV gas-insulated substations and gas-insulated switchgear represent a growing segment of bulk power-related investments. Growth is likely to accelerate once non-SF6 gas alternatives are more widely available for higher voltage equipment.
  • NERC projections suggest that as many as 14,000 HV line miles will be constructed over the 2021-2030 period. Importantly, more than one half of the expected expansion will be at 200kV or higher.  This will mean a need for about 250-300 new/up-rated transmission substations.
  • IOUs, G&Ts and federal agencies were most closely identified as having HV substation construction plans. Distribution cooperatives, municipal operations and industrial sites were more likely to plan MV substation construction projects.  Following is a look at identified transmission projects.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  • HV circuit breaker shipments likely exceeded $900 Million in 2020, with more than one half of the total investment made for 69kV-200kV range of breakers.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Further information on the 2021-2023 series of U.S. High Voltage Equipment market overviews is available on the Newton-Evans Research Company website:  https://www.newton-evans.com/our-reports/ for a brochure or to place an order for this new series or many other available T&D-related market reports.  This series is available via online purchase and immediate download.  Individual HV topical reports are priced at $150 per report, and the entire 15-report series is priced at $1,250.00.  Newton-Evans Research Company, P.O. Box 6512, Ellicott City, Maryland 21042. Phone: 410-465-7316.

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Energy Management and Market Operations Systems (EMMOS) Conference to be held in San Diego, California During September 13-16, 2020

April 24, 2020.  The 27th annual three-day conference of the Energy Management and Market Operations Systems (EMMOS) Users Group will be held in San Diego, California during September 13-16, 2020, starting with a welcoming reception at the beautiful Kempton Hotel Palomar, San Diego on the evening of Sunday, September 13.

This year’s conference agenda will feature topical speakers and roundtable sessions, technical training class, a tour of the SDGE control center and vendors’ exhibition.  The conference will be held in conjunction with the OSISoft PI Generation and T&D conference, which is being held during the same week in San Diego.

Featured conference sessions at the 2020 gathering of North American and international control systems and market operations management and staff will include topics such as:  Design Matters, Protection and Control, Block Chain, 5G Networking Applications, Big Data, Grid Analytics, Situational Awareness, and others.  Presentations will be delivered by representatives from IOUs, ISOs, RTOs and the T&D Consulting community.  Please contact Mr. Reza Alaghehband at Reza@emmos.org for proposals and suggestions.

Panel discussion topics: “Contingency Plans for Control Centers Operating Under Emergency Conditions” and “Current and Future Utility Industry Technology Solutions and Challenges”

Technical Tour:  The 2020 conference will include a control center tour and will also feature a micro grid tour.

Vendor Exhibition:  An Energy Management and Market Systems focused vendor exhibition will be held on Monday evening and will include a cocktail and hors d’oeuvres reception.

Training workshop/tutorial:  A 4-hour training workshop on “Power Network Applications and Tuning” will be held as part of the conference.  Participants will receive a certificate of completion.

The annual EMMOS conference attendees include electric power operations officials involved with transmission, distribution, generation, Market Systems, as well as IT managers, planning engineers, consultants, ISO staffs, visualization and situational awareness engineers, and related systems personnel involved with control and/or market systems and substation modernization, distribution automation, outage management and geographic information systems.

The EMMOS website is now open and available for registrations for this September’s conference.

Further information on the upcoming 2020 EMMOS conference, including registration information and hotel booking arrangements can be found on the EMMOS website at www.emmos.org.   Exhibitor opportunity information is available from Mr. Dave McGinnis at davemcginnisalt@yahoo.com .  Recommendations for additional topical presentations are welcomed and should be submitted to Mr. Reza Alaghehband at Reza@emmos.org.

In the event that the conference has to be cancelled, refunds will be made to registrants or optionally can be applied to the 2021 EMMOS conference. In the event that it becomes necessary to cancel the physical conference, we will plan to conduct a live streamed video conference with speakers and roundtable discussions.  The virtual conference would be available to remote attendees at a substantially reduced price.

 

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Transmission & Distribution World Partnership with Newton-Evans Research Company

Over the years since the early 1980’s, Newton-Evans’ articles written by Chuck Newton have appeared in more than 60 editions of Transmission and Distribution World.  Recent articles can be found here on the T&D WORLD website: https://www.tdworld.com/home/contact/20973495/charles-w-newtonThe following articles are among those now available on the T&D WORLD website.

Energy Policy and the Impact of Renewables and New Market Participants
Mar 13, 2020. This article is Part 2 of a series on current policy trends, first presented at the Little Rock, Arkansas EMMOS Users Conference in September 2019. Part 1 addressed grid modernization from an energy policy perspective.

COVID-19 Epidemic Impact on Protective Relays and Grid Modernization
Mar 13, 2020. What will be the likely economic consequences to grid modernization plans and budgets now in place, seeing the COVID-19 epidemic disruptions, and even havoc, in a significant number of the world’s industrialized and developing nations?

Grid Modernization from an Energy Policy Perspective in 2019
Nov 21, 2019.  This paper is part of a two-part series on current policy trends, first presented at the Little Rock, Arkansas EMMOS Users Conference in September 2019.

A Researcher’s Perspective on the North American Protective Relay Marketplace
Jun 02, 2019.  Charles Newton, Newton Evans Research Company, offers his observations on a recent survey on the protective relay marketplace.

IEC 61850: A Research Perspective
Jan 25, 2019.  Comparison of the findings of Newton-Evans studies on adoption of IEC 61850 by North American and international electric utilities.

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40% off “The World Market for Substation Automation and Integration Programs in Electric Utilities: 2017-2020.”

In 2017 Newton-Evans completed its eleventh worldwide study of the market for substation automation and integration systems in electric utilities. This 4-volume report series measures current market sizes for several sub-categories of equipment and services in North America and by World Regions. It also estimates and forecasts demand for substation automation equipment through year-end 2020, and profiles utility requirements as well as broader product and market requirements.
Continue reading 40% off “The World Market for Substation Automation and Integration Programs in Electric Utilities: 2017-2020.”

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Newton-Evans Research Releases Electric Power Industry-Focused Innovation Study Developed in Partnership with Power Projects Leufkens

The Newton-Evans Research Company has announced the publication of a study: Innovation in the Electric Power Industry Processes and Best Practices in mid-2018. The study was initially developed by Paul Leufkens, CEO of Power Projects Leufkens, based on a presentation on innovation in the electric power industry he delivered at an industry conference earlier this year.
Continue reading Newton-Evans Research Releases Electric Power Industry-Focused Innovation Study Developed in Partnership with Power Projects Leufkens

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Estimated U.S. Sales of Medium Voltage Equipment, Components and Related Services Accounted for about $3.6 Billion in 2017 – Likely to Reach $3.9 Billion in 2020

The Newton-Evans Research Company has announced the publication of a series of 18 electric power distribution market two-page snapshot market summaries. The new series of market overview reports (executive market summaries) includes supplier listings, representative products, and estimated market size for each topic, vendor market share estimates and market outlook and growth factors through 2020. Electric utilities accounted for nearly two-thirds of purchases of the medium voltage product categories in this series, with industrial and commercial usage accounting for about one third of the value of MV equipment shipments. A majority of the included grid infrastructure equipment and products continue to be manufactured and/or assembled in the United States.

Continue reading Estimated U.S. Sales of Medium Voltage Equipment, Components and Related Services Accounted for about $3.6 Billion in 2017 – Likely to Reach $3.9 Billion in 2020

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Distribution Automation Market Study Shows Increase of Distributed Generation Communications/Controls Among North American Electric Utilities

More interim findings from a Newton-Evans study currently underway, “North American Distribution Automation Market Assessment & Outlook 2018-2020,” suggest a trend of gradual integration of communications and control for the management of distributed generation (DG) and distributed energy resources (DERs) among North American electric Utilities. The growth of DG and DERs raises a number of challenges for electric utilities and asset owners who might need to integrate these new resources into their existing distribution automation systems. Here are a few mid-study observations from the survey responses that have been received so far:
Continue reading Distribution Automation Market Study Shows Increase of Distributed Generation Communications/Controls Among North American Electric Utilities

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U.S. Electric Power T&D Market Overview Briefs Now Available

Newton-Evans is updating its series of “top line” market overview briefs called “Overview of the 2017-2020 U.S. Transmission and Distribution Equipment Market.” The reports included in this series are grouped into seven categories based on the types of T&D Equipment, systems or services covered: Control Systems, Substation Automation, Protective Relays, Transformers, Medium Voltage Equipment, High Voltage Equipment, and Distribution Automation. Reports in some of these product categories have been published this week and are now available for ordering on our reports page.
Continue reading U.S. Electric Power T&D Market Overview Briefs Now Available

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Four Major Types of Substation Integration Service Providers Account for More than $1 Billion in Annual Revenues

The Newton-Evans Research Company has released additional findings from its newly published four volume research series entitled: The World Market for Substation Automation and Integration Programs in Electric Utilities: 2017-2020.
Continue reading Four Major Types of Substation Integration Service Providers Account for More than $1 Billion in Annual Revenues

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Global Outlook for Substation Automation and Integration Continues to Show Impressive Growth

The Newton-Evans Research Company has released a new report on global substation automation markets based on the company’s 2016-2017 world market studies of substation automation and integration activities. The objective of this market outlook report by Newton-Evans Research Company, according to CEO Chuck Newton is “to provide world regional substation modernization market sizing, including country-specific activities for the largest countries in each region. As such, the outlook report complements the survey-based volumes covering North American and International substation automation markets, also completed in November.”
Continue reading Global Outlook for Substation Automation and Integration Continues to Show Impressive Growth

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International Utilities Planning to Expand Investments in Substation Modernization

The Newton-Evans Research Company has released findings from its International market study, the second of four reports collectively titled: “The World Market for Substation Automation and Integration Programs in Electric Utilities: 2017-2020.” The international study compares the current round of research findings with several earlier substation modernization tracking studies conducted by the firm. A total of 90 large and mid-size electric power utilities from 22 countries actively participated in the world market study.
Continue reading International Utilities Planning to Expand Investments in Substation Modernization

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Midpoint Of 2017 North American Study Finds Increase In Substation Construction And Retrofit Plans Over 2014 Findings

The Newton-Evans Research Company has reached the midpoint of its triennial tracking study of change and automation occurring in the world’s electric power substations.
Continue reading Midpoint Of 2017 North American Study Finds Increase In Substation Construction And Retrofit Plans Over 2014 Findings

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Multi-Part Newton-Evans Research Study Reveals Significant Growth Likely for Advanced DMS Systems and Applications

The Newton-Evans Research Company continues to assess its findings from the firm’s comprehensive 2017 study of EMS, SCADA, DMS and OMS usage patterns among utilities from more than 30 countries.
Continue reading Multi-Part Newton-Evans Research Study Reveals Significant Growth Likely for Advanced DMS Systems and Applications

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Newton-Evans Study Finds Heavy Use of IP/MPLS and Continued Reliance on Utility-Operated Telecommunications Networks for EMS/SCADA and DMS Systems

The latest findings from the Newton-Evans Research Company study of control systems used in the electric power industry point to heavy reliance on IP/MPLS networks for wide area communications from substations and other field locations to central site control systems.
Continue reading Newton-Evans Study Finds Heavy Use of IP/MPLS and Continued Reliance on Utility-Operated Telecommunications Networks for EMS/SCADA and DMS Systems

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Newton-Evans Study Indicates Similarities in Plans for Full Digital Substations and Differences for Condition-Based Maintenance Programs Among Electric Utilities

Newton-Evans Research Company continues to assess findings from its six-month research study and survey of protective relay usage patterns in the world community of electric power utilities. Insights received from 114 large and mid-sized utilities in 28 countries point to some interesting differences in plans for implementation of the “full digital substation” concept and to increased use of condition-based maintenance (CBM) strategies for protective relays.
Continue reading Newton-Evans Study Indicates Similarities in Plans for Full Digital Substations and Differences for Condition-Based Maintenance Programs Among Electric Utilities

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Newton-Evans Study Finds Differences in Spending Plans for Electric Utility Control Systems Over the 2017-2019 Years

Nearly half of North American electric utilities participating in the 2017-2019 Newton-Evans Research study plan to upgrade or retrofit their SCADA system by 2019. Twenty-two percent plan to upgrade or retrofit their energy management system (EMS), and twenty-five percent will upgrade or retrofit their outage management system (OMS). Twenty-six percent of North American utilities in the survey sample are adding a new or replacement distribution management system (DMS) or advanced DMS by 2019.
Continue reading Newton-Evans Study Finds Differences in Spending Plans for Electric Utility Control Systems Over the 2017-2019 Years