All Reports
4Q 2021

Direct Current Distribution Networks

Grid-Tied and Remote Power Applications, Leading Vendors, Global Capacity, and Revenue Forecasts

The market for direct current (DC) distribution networks is not a single cohesive market. Rather, it encompasses several disparate opportunities that revolve around different market assumptions, dynamics, and drivers. The core challenge facing DC distribution networks lies with the need for standards and open grid architectures.

The loads served by alternating current (AC) power grids are often DC due to the proliferation of plug loads, computers, mobile devices, and LED lighting. Given the enormous political and policy support for DC power sources such as solar PV and batteries, making such a shift would be logical if the world’s infrastructure were starting over from scratch. In reality, that is not the case, hence the conundrum that the world faces.

This Guidehouse Insights report looks at the following DC market segments: remote cell towers, energy access systems, commercial and residential buildings, data centers, military applications, and EV fast charging microgrids. The report also includes market sizing of overall DC fast charging loads, the largest market opportunity in the medium voltage distribution level range, which is driving wider acceptance of DC distribution and technologies. The report also takes a broad view of DC technologies, including high voltage DC transmission and low voltage Power over Ethernet (PoE). The report also reviews market traction according to voltage level spending on a comparative basis.

Pages 57
Tables | Charts | Figures 47
  • Why is there growing interest in DC technologies?
  • What are barriers to wider adoption rates?
  • Which market segments are the largest on a regional basis?
  • Which regions of the world are DC technology adoption leaders?
  • Who are recent market entrants to the DC distribution network space?
  • Microgrid developers and EPCs
  • Solar PV manufacturers
  • Energy storage purveyors
  • VPP software vendors
  • Energy access funders
  • Utilities
  • Data center owners
  • EV fast charging integrators
  • Investor community

1. Executive Summary

1.1   Market Overview

1.2   DC Distribution Market Segments

2. Market Issues

2.1   Alternating Current Versus Direct Current

2.2   DC Power Market Trends

2.2.1   High Voltage DC

2.2.2   Super Low Voltage DC

2.2.3   Medium Distribution-Level Voltage DC

2.2.3.1   Emerging DC Distribution-Level Standards

2.2.4   Microgrids and DC Advocates

2.3   Business Case for AC Distribution

2.4   Business Case for DC Distribution

2.5   DC Distribution Market Segments

2.6   Low Voltage DC Market Segments

2.6.1   DC Remote Cell Towers

2.6.2   DC Energy Access Systems

2.7   Medium Voltage DC Segments

2.7.1   DC Commercial and Residential Buildings

2.7.2   DC Data Centers

2.7.3   DC Military Applications

2.7.4   DC EV Fast Charging Microgrids and Nanogrids

3. Key Industry Players

3.1   DC Distribution Competitive Landscape

3.1.1   ABB

3.1.2   ARDA Power

3.1.3   DC Systems

3.1.4   Emera Technologies

3.1.5   Enteligent

3.1.6   Moixa

3.1.7   Nextek Power Systems

3.1.8   Pika Energy

3.1.9   Pirl

3.1.10   VAULTe

3.1.11   Vertiv

3.1.12   VoltServer

4. Market Forecasts

4.1   DC Distribution Market Forecast Methodology Overview

4.2   DC Market Segments

4.3   Low Voltage Market Segments

4.3.1   DC Remote Cell Towers

4.3.2   DC Energy Access Systems

4.4   Medium Voltage Levels

4.4.1   DC Buildings

4.4.2   DC Data Centers

4.4.3   DC Military Applications

4.4.4   DC EV Fast Charging Microgrids

4.5   Comparing 2021 and 2030 Segment Market Shares

4.5.1   DC EV Fast Charging

4.6   DC Voltage Comparisons

5. Conclusions

6. Acronym and Abbreviation List

7. Table of Contents

8. Table of Charts and Figures

9. Scope of Study, Sources and Methodology, Notes

  • Total Annual DC Distribution Network Capacity and Implementation Spending by Region, World Markets: 2021-2030
  • Transmission Level Grid Investments, World Markets: 2050
  • Annual Remote DC Cell Tower Capacity and Implementation Spending by Region, World Markets: 2021-2030
  • Annual DC Energy Access Capacity and Implementation Spending by Region, World Markets: 2021-2030
  • Annual DC Building Capacity and Implementation Spending by Region, World Markets: 2021-2030
  • Annual DC Data Center Capacity and Implementation Spending by Region, World Markets: 2021-2030
  • Annual DC Military Microgrid Capacity and Implementation Spending, U.S. DOD: 2021-2030
  • Annual DC EV Fast Charging Microgrid Capacity and Implementation Spending by Region, World Markets: 2021-2030
  • DC Distribution Network Application Market Shares by Spend, World Markets: 2021
  • DC Distribution Network Application Market Shares by Spend, World Markets: 2030
  • Annual DC EV Fast Charging Capacity by Region, World Markets: 2021-2030
  • DC Transmission and Distribution Implementation Spending by Voltage Level, World Markets: 2021-2030
  • Total DC Technologies Implementation Spending by Region, World Markets: 2021-2030
  • Comparing AC and DC Converter Complexity for Key DER Assets
  • Low Voltage Building-Level Plug-and-Play DC Architecture Example
  • Copper Cable Savings with 48 V vs. 400 V DC
  • Seasonal Annual Power Outage Trends in US: 2002-2020
  • Comparing Efficiency of AC String Inverter vs. DC Fast Charging of EVs
  • Total Annual DC Distribution Network Capacity by Region, World Markets: 2021-2030
  • Total Annual DC Distribution Network Implementation Spending by Region, World Markets: 2021-2030
  • Annual DC Distribution Network Capacity by Segment and Region, World Markets: 2021-2030
  • Annual DC Distribution Network Implementation Spending by Segment and Region, World Markets: 2021-2030
  • Total Annual Remote DC Cell Tower Capacity by Region, World Markets: 2021-2030
  • Total Annual Remote Cell Tower Implementation Spending by Region, World Markets: 2021-2030
  • Annual DC Building Capacity by Region, World Markets: 2021-2030
  • Annual DC Building Implementation Spending by Region, World Markets: 2021-2030
  • Annual DC Data Center Capacity by Region, World Markets: 2021-2030
  • Annual DC Data Center Implementation Spending by Region, World Markets: 2021-2030
  • Annual DC Energy Access Capacity by Region, World Markets: 2021-2030
  • Annual DC Energy Access Implementation Spending by Region, World Markets: 2021-2030
  • Annual U.S. DOD DC Military Microgrid Capacity by Region, World Markets: 2021-2030
  • Annual U.S. DOD DC Military Microgrid Implementation Spending by Region, World Markets: 2021-2030
  • Annual DC EV Fast Charging Microgrid Capacity by Region, World Markets: 2021-2030
  • Annual DC EV Fast Charging Microgrid Implementation Spending by Region, World Markets: 2021-2030
  • Annual DC EV Fast Charging Capacity by Region, World Markets: 2021-2030
  • Annual DC EV Fast Charging Implementation Spending by Region, World Markets: 2021-2030
  • Annual DC Transmission and Distribution Network Implementation Spending by Voltage Level and Region, World Markets: 2021-2030
  • Annual DC Transmission and Distribution Network Implementation Spending by Voltage Level, World Markets: 2021-2030
  • Annual Total DC Technologies Spending by Region, World Markets: 2021-2030
  • AC Microgrid SWOT Analysis
  • DC Microgrid SWOT Analysis
  • DC Remote Cell Tower SWOT Analysis
  • DC Energy Access SWOT Analysis
  • DC Commercial and Residential Buildings SWOT Analysis
  • DC Data Center SWOT Analysis
  • DC Military Applications SWOT Analysis
  • DC Fast Charging Microgrid and Nanogrid SWOT Analysis
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