As Hurricane Sandy wreaked havoc on the East Coast this month, desperate utility customers—left without lights, heat and electronics for weeks—bitterly complained that there should be a better way to transmit power, monitor system faults, and make repairs to the energy infrastructure.
According to a new report released by Boulder, Colorado-based Pike Research (News - Alert), as a non-terrestrial-based network, satellite communications may be the only solution to keep the grid connected or bring it back online rapidly in cases of natural (or manmade) disasters. In addition, satellite communications can be used to bring smart grid functionality and all of its benefits to sparsely populated geographies.
Looking ahead, the analysts said, satellite appears to be well-positioned to play a growing role in the next-generation grid. In fact, while satellite will undoubtedly remain a relatively small element of the overall smart grid picture worldwide, Pike Research estimates that the global revenue generated by both equipment and services will amount to a total of nearly $2.1 billion cumulatively between 2012 and 2020... Read More
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