Semiconductor manufacturer partners with energy industry solution providers to meet smart meter demand

Increasing adoption of smart grid metering technologies expected to create a $2 billion market by 2012.

By Control Engineering Staff July 8, 2009

Skyworks Solutions Inc., a provider of analog and mixed signal semiconductors, has partnered with several energy industry solution providers to meet the growing worldwide demand for smart water, gas, and electric meter readers. These strategic partnerships are enabling Skyworks to develop and ramp low-cost solutions for remote meter reading applications and smart grid technologies.
Smart grids deliver power and energy from suppliers to consumers using digital technology, reducing utility and consumer costs while increasing system reliability.
Skyworks’ customers include Badger Meter, ESCOTechnologies, Itron, Landis + Gyr Group, and Sensus. Each of these key energy management providers leverage Skyworks’ front-end modules and linear products for their next-generation meters and advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) solutions.
"The energy management space has tremendous potential with several catalysts driving demand,” said Liam K. Griffin, senior vice president, sales and marketing for Skyworks. “The adoption of wireless technology provides a compelling benefit to metering suppliers and utilities, and we are in the early stages of this global upgrade cycle.”
Gartner Group expects more than 150 million smart meters to be installed worldwide in the next five years, with approximately 50% of those in North America—creating a cumulative semiconductor business of $2 billion by 2012.
Read other Control Engineering smart grid-related articles:

  • Executives agree to accelerate smart grid standards implementation in U.S.

  • Whirlpool to make electronically controlled appliances smart grid compatible

  • Orders for smart grid-enabled power systems increase

– Edited by David Greenfield , editorial director

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