Gas Meter Market

Market Overview

The global gas meter market size was worth USD 6.2 billion in 2021 and is projected to reach USD 11.2 billion by 2030, growing at a CAGR of 6.8% during the forecast period (2022-2030).

A gas meter is a flow meter used to measure and keep track of the amount of gas produced and used. It aids in tracking the transport of several fuel gases, including liquified petroleum gas and natural gas (LPG). Additionally, it monitors gas consumption, guarantees sufficient gas pressure from the main supply, and gives customers correct bills. It comes in various types and designs with particular advantages based on different operational theories, including thermal, acoustic, tracer, velocity, and displacement. Currently, the gas meter has a wide range of uses in both the commercial and residential sectors.

The amount of gas produced or consumed is measured and recorded using gas meters and a flow meter. The force of the flowing gas in the pipe drives a gas meter. The pointer on the dial with the next higher value advances one number for each revolution of the dial with the lower value. To monitor gas usage, these meters are crucial for guaranteeing sufficient gas pressure from the primary supply of natural or liquefied petroleum gas. Gas meters are frequently employed in various residential, commercial, and industrial settings to measure the volumetric flow rate.

Rapid industrialization has increased the use of natural gas in many rising economies. Gas wastage during transmission and distribution can be decreased with gas meters. Additionally, it enables utility companies to track the behavior of gas meters and estimate demand using data from gas meters. Further, robust government assistance from around the world contributes to the market expansion of different gas meters.

Market Dynamics

Global Gas Meter Market Drivers

Operational Safety and Increase in Efficiency of Gas Usage

The current gas meters have operational advantages such as continuous monitoring of pipelines, automatic monthly usage reading, availability of real-time data, and cost-saving brought by the one-time investment of the smart meters, which are expected to drive the growth of this market. It also increases the efficiency of the gas usage by the companies, and customers can also control the monthly bills and receive detailed information regarding their gas usage. The precise reading provided by the gas meter about various consumptions is expected to create awareness among customers regarding energy waste, which will help in cost savings and avoid energy wastage. These factors are predicted to boost the gas meter market during the forecast period. According to a case study of PEPCO in Washington DC, ASR cost saving was more than $2 million in 2012. At that time, intelligent gas meter developments were not yet fully implemented. These savings include on-cycle meter reading, off-cycle meter reading, billing processes, truck roll reduction, and complaint management expenses.

Digitization of Energy Usage and Optimized Network Operations

Future smart cities involve implementing the Internet of Things, which will digitize the information regarding the specific object. An increase in applications of IoT in various fields such as gas and electricity has increased the efficiency of using clean energy such as solar and wind energy. IoT communication networks and cloud infrastructure will enable electric and gas companies to monitor the grid and provide better customer service at a low price. For instance, in August 2020, Microsoft and SNAM launched a joint project on IoT and cloud to increase the efficiency of sustainable development of energy networks.

In 2018, Itron launched the Intel gas meter. This meter transforms the distribution network from a one-way transmission mechanism to an interactive energy network, which increases the safety and efficiency of the gas delivery.

Expanding global population and the fast industrialization 

Several fundamental variables, including the expanding global population and fast industrialization, positively impact the demand for natural gas. This is one of the main drivers of market expansion, along with the continuous renovation of gas distribution networks and increased investments in building natural gas pipeline infrastructure. In addition, the market is expanding as more people become aware of the benefits of gas meters in lowering the overall amount of gas wasted during transportation and distribution. Numerous government measures to promote the adoption of energy-saving technologies, such as smart gas meters, also contribute to growth.

Global Gas Meter Market Restraint

Active Cyberattacks & Data Breaches and Customer Health Issues

Gas meters are mostly automated and connected to GPRS, so they can also be used as infrastructure for mass surveillance. The data collected from the smart gas meter is vulnerable to cyberattacks and data breaches. Government authorities and another third party can use these data. The various countries such as the U.S. and European are formulating new data protection rules for smart gas meters. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the smart gas meter emits radio frequency, which is harmful to the biological system. It mainly leads to the possibility of brain cancer, and in the long run, it can also affect the proliferation rate of cells related to the genes in the DNA cells. Therefore, various government authorities have placed specific limitations on gas meter products. High capital investments and a short life span compared to the traditional meter also hamper the market's growth. These are the key factors restraining the development of the market.

Global Gas Meter Market Opportunities

National Plans for the Modern Gas Networks and Smart Grid Facilities

Emerging national plans in various countries have set goals to modernize the gas networks and smart grid facilities. These are the key technologies to update the gas and energy network by providing utilities to the customers and managing the gas usage efficiently.

The U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology has proposed a model that can be considered one of the most popular. This model can reduce outages and shorten the response time during natural hazards. As per the U.S. Department of Energy, this model can save consumers nearly 20 billion USD on their utility by 2025.

Regional Analysis

Region-wise, the global gas meter market is analyzed across North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and LAMEA.

Europe was the highest revenue contributor and is estimated to grow at a CAGR of 6.1%. Europe is analyzed across Germany, France, Italy, Spain, the U.K., and the rest of Europe. Increased concern toward energy conservation and government regulation regarding energy management is expected to drive market growth. Moreover, the strong presence of industry players such as Landis+Gyr, KROHNE, and ABB is expected to influence the domestic market demand. The rise in digitization and the growing prominence of energy-saving are expected to drive the market growth. For instance, Europe has aimed to cut its greenhouse gas emissions by 80% by 2050. Due to such initiatives, industry players have focused on smart energy management through gas meters. Deployment of gas meters will provide timely data on gas consumption and leakage, which will further help utility providers to forecast market demand. However, at the current stage, the regulatory framework of gas meters is at an early stage in Europe, unlike electricity meters, and the total deployment of the gas meter to electricity meters is around 0.29.

Asia-Pacific is the fastest-growing region. Asia-Pacific consists of China, India, Japan, South Korea, Australia, and the rest of Asia-Pacific. China primarily dominates the market for gas meters due to significant demand from the industrial sector. Moreover, hotels, school canteens, institutions, and commercial outlets are suitable for smart gas meters for centralized management. Further, the initiative from China's national development and reform commission to build a longstanding mechanism to guarantee a stable gas supply will positively impact the market growth. The Asia-Pacific market is expected to witness steady growth, owing to changes in living standards and life quality and a rise in demand for intelligent products. Natural gas has become a crucial part of urban life, and the need for smart metering devices has increased the market growth of various gas meters. However, the significant presence of coal and oil energy in countries such as China, India, and Indonesia influenced natural gas consumption. For instance, the natural gas market in Asia-Pacific accounts for only 10% of the global market share, whereas the Asia-Pacific coal consumption accounts for 44% of the worldwide market share. 

North America is the second largest region. It is estimated to reach an expected USD 3725 million by 2030 at a CAGR of 7.1%. The North American market comprises the U.S., Canada, and Mexico. Implementing intelligent meters in commercial and large residential areas, especially in the U.S. and Canada, is expected to boost the market growth. The government's mandatory installation of smart meters in households and commercial spaces is also anticipated to increase the gas meter market growth in the North American region. Natural gas is utilized in around 58% of residential sectors in the U.S. The emergence of advanced metering infrastructure (AMI), an integrated system of smart meters, is expected to create new market opportunities. 

Energy sector investments, especially those in the oil and gas sector, are rising steadily in the Middle East and Africa. It's conceivable that this will present gas meter manufacturers with lucrative opportunities. Gas meter adoption is therefore anticipated to grow dramatically in the region's residential and commercial sectors.

Segmental Analysis

The global gas meter market share is segmented by product type and end-user. 

On the Basis of Product Type

Based on product type, the global market is divided into traditional gas meter and smart gas meters. The smart gas meters segment dominated the market and is estimated to grow at a CAGR of 7.2% during the forecast period. Growth in the emphasis of smart meter devices in commercial and large industrial areas is one of the significant factors influencing market growth. Furthermore, strong support from governments across the globe further drives the market growth of various gas meters. For instance, the Government of the U.K. has already introduced the Smart Metering Programme, which aims to provide 53 million smart gas meters to domestic and non-domestic properties in Great Britain by 2020. Additionally, replacing old conventional meters with new smart meters further fuels the market growth. For example, the Government of India plans to replace 250 million traditional meters with smart meters by 2022. Additionally, the market witnessed a decline in market demand from a large number of end-user due to the COVID-19 outbreak. Moreover, installations were delayed due to a limited workforce and social distancing norms. However, the emergence of smart meters and remote monitoring and inspection of gas consumption through smart meters are anticipated to create new market opportunities.

A traditional gas meter is the second largest segment. Rapid industrialization and increased demand for natural gas in various emerging economies are expected to drive market growth. Moreover, the readings on the gas meter help track the consumption of gas per month or annually. In addition, it helps reduce the wastage of gas during transmission and distribution for industrial usage.

On the Basis of End-User

By end-user, the global market is classified into residential, commercial, and industrial. The residential segment dominated the market and is estimated to grow at a CAGR of 6.7% during the forecast period. In large residential areas, utility providers install gas meters to measure the monthly gas consumption. It is installed between a residential area's gas line and distribution point. Moreover, with smart meters and remote monitoring, utility providers can easily track the monthly natural gas consumption. However, the automatic billing through smart residential meters made revenue collection more accessible than before (with conventional gas meters). A rise in disposable income and alteration in lifestyle will increase the end-users of smart energy in residential areas. 

The industrial segment is the fastest growing. The demand for smart and efficient gas supply in the industrial sector is expected to drive market growth. Several companies are progressing on smart energy products, and the billing system has become more effortless with the implementation of the Internet of Things. IoT-based gas meter system is an automated meter reading system that simplifies and accelerates the meter reading process. It also provides a user-friendly web application interface between the users and utility providers. Such factors propel the growth of the market in the industrial sector.

The commercial segment is the third largest. The growing prominence of smart gas meters and government regulation regarding installing new smart meters are anticipated to increase market growth. Governments across the globe have taken initiatives to promote energy systems for natural gas management. Moreover, with the success of smart metering systems in electricity meters, utility players have focused on promoting smart gas meters in the market. In hundreds of smart city projects worldwide, governments, municipalities, and private stakeholders are investing in smart gas meters and open data platforms to meet the challenges of changing consumer demand, long lifetime, and sustained accuracy.

Recent Developments

• In December 2022, About 200 Megawatts of Reserve Power Will Be Provided by GE and MYTILINEOS to the Irish Electricity Supply Board (ESB).
• In December 2022, Itron Signed a Contract to Upgrade Florida's Gainesville's Water, Gas, and Electricity Infrastructure.
• In November 2022, Next-Generation Ultrasonic Prepayment Gas Meter was Released by Itron.
• In November 2022, Landis+Gyr will introduce a smart water meter and display the newest grid edge and EV charging solutions at Enlit Europe.