Keywords: SCADA, Power Transmission & Distribution, Reliability, Communications
The Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) market for electricity transmission & distribution is among the most rapidly growing control systems markets in the world. Markets in mature and developed regions, including Western Europe and North America, are set to continue expanding over the next few years due to the increasing demand to modernize electric power infrastructures.
Though SCADA is a well-established, mature technology, suppliers work continually to improve the communications and functionality of their SCADA systems to help utilities get more out of their power networks. “Many factors are driving SCADA project activity in the electric power vertical industry. While emerging economies are working to expand their power generation and distribution capacity, utilities in developed regions are working to harness the potential of the smart grid to improve the security, efficiency, sustainability, and reliability of their networks by implementing cyber security technologies and advanced applications that help them to monitor the performance of grid assets in real time, and quickly restore power to customers when an outage occurs,” according to Senior Analyst Allen Avery, the principal author of ARC’s “SCADA Systems for the Electric Power Industry Global Market Research Study”.
SCADA Market Sees Major Consolidation
The landscape of the SCADA market has changed considerably in recent years, with acquisitions large and small re-casting the market shares of the major system suppliers. ARC expects this trend to continue as industrial automation giants seek to get their share of the investments utilities are expected to make in coming years to enhance the reliability and efficiency of the power grid. This study takes stock of the effect of acquisitions that have taken place, and examines the relative strengths and weaknesses of both major SCADA system suppliers and niche players alike.
Cyber Security a Concern for All
SCADA systems in particular have been found to be particularly vulnerable, as affirmed by a number of high-profile cyber-attacks in recent years. Cyber security mechanisms will play a decisive role in SCADA selection going forward and will become a unique selling proposition across SCADA products from different automation vendors.
Steady Growth Worldwide, Weighted Toward Asia
While the SCADA market for electricity is quite established in North America and Europe, there are lots of good opportunities in these developed regions for SCADA suppliers with energy integration, distribution SCADA, specific migration roadmaps, and expanded services. Ample greenfield opportunities will flourish in Asia, where China and India have been working feverishly to expand their power generation and distribution infrastructures.
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