Asia, infrastructure investments, driving high power ac drive market

Growing demand in Asia as well as increased infrastructure investments in the oil and gas, mining, and electric industries are driving the high power ac drive market, according to ARC Advisory Group.

By Control Engineering August 21, 2013

Investments in the infrastructure industries in many parts of the world caused continued demand for high power AC drives. Overall, the cement & glass, electric power, oil and gas, and mining industries had good growth in 2012. Most of this growth was in the emerging economies in Asia. In spite of this regional growth, slowdown in Europe, investment cut-backs in Latin America, and a significant slowdown in Japan resulted in a slight decline of the worldwide high power AC drives market, according to a new ARC Advisory Group study.

Suppliers are in a good position regardless of the current and future economic uncertainties because high power ac drives are a key product for improving energy efficiency in the industrial arena. “Demand for high power ac drives will continue in emerging markets because investments in the manufacturing, infrastructure, and building automation sectors must continue for economic development,” according to senior analyst Himanshu Shah, the principal author of ARC’s “High Power AC Drives Global Market Research Study.” 

Infrastructure investments will continue

Water and wastewater facilities, airport facilities, and power plants will increase their direct use of high power ac drives, as well as supporting industries such as metals and mining, cement & glass, and chemical. Developing economies continue to need improvements in their infrastructure. Also, in most developed countries, the infrastructures are crumbling in many industries. Modernization of these infrastructures will create additional demand for high power ac drives, today and throughout the forecast period of the worldwide outlook.

The growing requirements for energy

The world energy consumption is expected to rise dramatically in the next few decades. Demand for and costs of energy will only increase with future population growth and increased industrialization. Environmental and sustainability concerns will demand that national governments and private industries respond effectively and responsibly to the future energy challenges to cooperatively develop competitive energy policies that ensure affordable and reliable energy supplies.

In developing countries, demand is increasing for new power generating plants that use high power ac drives in many applications, such as turbines and compressors. Meanwhile, environmental concerns have raised interest in renewable sources of energy. High power ac drives are used for controlling traditional and renewable power generating processes. Additionally, initiatives to save energy at various levels, ranging from local to national governments, industrial operations to consumer awareness, fuel growth for the use of high power ac drives and to reduce the growth rate of worldwide energy consumption.

– Edited by Control Engineering. See more discrete manufacturing stories.

Original content can be found at Oil and Gas Engineering.