Industrial gas meters are integral for measuring and monitoring gas consumption across various industries, ensuring accurate billing, efficient resource management, and safety compliance. The market is driven by the rising demand for smart meter technology, leading to strong projected growth at a CAGR of 5.82%, reaching USD 5.8 billion by 2028.
Application Areas of Industrial Gas Meters
In the oil and gas sector, industrial gas meters are crucial for precise measurement and monitoring of natural gas and other hydrocarbon gases, essential for billing, custody transfer, and process optimization.
They track individual well and group flow rates to guide reservoir management, optimize plant operations by monitoring raw natural gas purification, and measure volumetric flow along transmission pipelines to monitor pipeline integrity.
Similarly, the manufacturing sector relies on these meters to monitor gas usage in processes like metal smelting and glass manufacturing. Their ability to precisely track gas consumption provides critical data that enables manufacturers to optimize processes, control costs, ensure safety compliance, facilitate preventive maintenance, and manage resources efficiently.
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The accurate and real-time gas usage measurements from industrial gas meters are vital for maintaining optimal gas conditions to achieve high product quality and process efficiency.
The consumption data from these meters allows manufacturers to identify potential equipment issues early on through abnormal usage patterns, minimizing downtime from unplanned maintenance. In addition, regular monitoring of gas usage further helps prevent safety hazards like leaks while supporting compliance with environmental standards by managing emissions.
Industrial gas meters enable accurate, reliable, and compliant custody transfer processes for the commercial exchange of gases between companies or customers. They establish credibility between transacting parties and uphold custody transfer standards and regulations by generating definitive and dependable quantification of gas volumes exchanged.
Hot Topics in the Industrial Gas Meters Market
The industrial gas metering landscape is transforming, driven by emerging technologies and evolving user needs.
One of the prominent trends is the rise of smart gas meters, which use two-way communication and data analytics for remote monitoring, leak alerts, data analytics for efficiency gains and lower operating costs. These are equipped with enhanced diagnostics, and Industry 4.0 integration offers valuable data on gas composition and quality, enabling predictive maintenance and seamless integration with automation systems and IoT platforms.
Miniaturization is another key area of interest, with gas meters becoming smaller and lighter while maintaining accuracy and performance, thanks to emerging technologies like micro-thermal flow sensors. Additionally, there is a growing demand for gas meters capable of measuring renewable gases like biogas, biomethane, and hydrogen, in line with the increasing adoption of alternative fuels.
Ultrasonic gas meters, such as FLOWSIC550 from SICK, have seen widespread adoption, replacing traditional mechanical flow meters and providing enhanced accuracy and reliability.
They offer long-term stability and accuracy without needing maintenance and various advantages such as high-pressure industrial gas measurement, no pressure drops, bidirectional flow measurement, and reliable performance in extreme temperatures.
Current Global Market of Industrial Gas Meters
According to insights from IMRAC, the global gas meter market was valued at approximately USD 4.1 billion in 2022, and it is projected to exceed USD 5.8 billion by 2028, growing at a CAGR of 5.82% during the forecast period.
Regional Outlook of Global Industrial Gas Meter Market
North America held the largest share of the gas meter market in 2022, driven by increasing industrialization and emerging technological advancements in gas meters across the United States and Canada. The shift from fossil fuels to gas power and rising demand for smart meters propelled North America's market growth.
Europe is also expected to see substantial growth in the industrial gas meter market due to implementing various metering initiatives, adopting intelligent IoT-based metering solutions, and replacing outdated devices.
The market is further propelled by stringent EU government regulations mandating smart metering systems for approximately 80% of consumers. At the same time, additional security directives safeguarding sensitive customer data are projected to boost sales of smart industrial gas meters.
Asia Pacific is the second-largest and fastest-growing region due to rising populations and the increasing demand for continuous emission monitoring systems (CEMS) in countries with high air pollution levels.
For example, in April 2018, Tata Communications announced it would partner with Mahanagar Gas, an Indian domestic gas utility, to deploy approximately 5,000 gas meters in Mumbai, India. This highlights the growing industrial gas meter demand in the Asia Pacific from rising gas consumption, utility investments, and air pollution monitoring needs.
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Drivers
Growing demand for energy-efficient and cost-effective gas metering solutions as end-users aim to optimize energy consumption and governments promote sustainability is fueling the adoption of advanced industrial metering technologies.
The rise of smart cities and homes with capabilities for real-time monitoring, remote management, and data analysis has led to increasing integration of smart gas meters, further accelerating market growth.
Restraints
However, the market faces restraints, including the substantial upfront costs required for investment in gas metering infrastructure, posing a challenge to gas utilities and companies. Additionally, the lack of uniformity and compatibility in measurement systems across different regions and countries presents an obstacle for producers and suppliers.
Intensifying competition from renewable energy sources like wind and solar threatens to reduce demand for gas meter solutions.
Opportunities
Despite the drawbacks, opportunities exist for increased deployment of smart meters offering advanced functionality such as in-home energy usage displays, remote readability, and improved billing accuracy.
As reliance grows on such technologically proficient metering, smart gas meter implementation will expand, presenting lucrative prospects for the industrial gas meter market.
Key Players in Industrial Gas Meter Market
The gas meter market is moderately fragmented, with many companies competing to meet global demand. Key players, such as Itron Inc., Landis+Gyr Corporation, Honeywell International Inc., ABB Ltd., Badger Meter Inc., Apator SA., and Diehl Metering, are increasingly investing in R&D to develop and introduce new technologies.
Future Outlooks of the Global Industrial Gas Meter Market
The future of the industrial gas meters market will be marked by continued growth in smart metering, driven by the increasing need for real-time data, energy efficiency, and cost savings. These meters will integrate further with smart grids, enabling demand response mechanisms and better load management.
Digital twin technology will enable the virtual modeling of gas distribution networks, while advances in cybersecurity, data encryption, and blockchain technologies will ensure meter data protection. In addition, adopting IoT and cloud computing will enable advanced meter data analytics, while automated ultrasonic calibration will reduce meter downtime.
As industries evolve, industrial gas meters will remain vital for ensuring safe, reliable, and cost-effective gas management.
References and Further Reading
IMARC. (2022). Gas Meter Market: Global Industry Trends, Share, Size, Growth, Opportunity and Forecast 2023-2028. [Online]. Available at: https://www.imarcgroup.com/gas-meter-market
Precedence Research. (2022). Gas Meter Market (By Type: Basic, Smart; By Application: Residential, Commercial, Industrial) - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends, Regional Outlook, and Forecast 2023-2032. [Online]. Available at: https://www.precedenceresearch.com/gas-meter-market
Transparency Market Research. (2022). Gas Meter Market (Type: Diaphragm Meters, Rotary Meters, Turbine Meters, Ultrasonic Meters, and Coriolis Meters; and Application: Residential, Commercial, and Industrial) - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends, and Forecast, 2022-2031. [Online]. https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/gas-meters-market.html
Future Market Insights. (2023). Gas Meter Market Outlook (2023 to 2033). [Online]. Available at: https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/gas-meters-market
Mandee Nguyen. (2023). SICK Launches New High Pressure Gas Flow Meter for Natural Gas Distribution. [Online]. Available at: https://www.sick.com/us/en/sick-launches-new-high-pressure-gas-flow-meter-for-natural-gas-distribution/w/press-FLOWSIC550PR_May2023/
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