View Updated Profiles of Leading Meter Manufacturers, AMM Solution Vendors and DSOS in the European Market.

DUBLIN, Ireland -- Research and Markets (http://www.researchandmarkets.com/reports/c41958) has announced the addition of the new report from Berg Insight "Intelligent Metering and Wireless M2M" to their offering.

Are you looking for detailed information and comprehensive data about the European AMM market?

Berg Insight's analyst team has been covering intelligent metering continuously for more than three years. 'Intelligent Metering and Wireless M2M' is our third consecutive research report on the subject of AMM in Europe. Get up to date with the latest developments in Scandinavia, Italy, the Netherlands and the UK.

Find out who AMM technology is implemented by; industry leaders such as ACEA, Enel, E.ON, Fortum, Nuon and Vattenfall. Profiles of leading vendors including Echelon, Enermet, Iskraemeco, Landis+Gyr and Telenor Cinclus.

Metering is a fundamental business enabler for companies in the utility sector. At the beginning of 2006, there were approximately 244 million electricity meters and 101 million gas meters in the EU plus Norway and Switzerland (EU23+2). Electricity reaches virtually every household and business in the whole of Europe, while gas is most widely used in the Netherlands, the UK, Italy, Germany, France and Poland. Metering practices are undergoing radical changes in the wake of the liberalisation of the European energy markets. The new situation will require that the utility meters of tomorrow are connected to data communication networks.

Automated meter management (AMM) is a generic term for intelligent metering services based on two-way data communication. AMM could be considered as the third generation of metering technology. Manually read meters have been around since the advent of the utility industry in the late 19th century. Over the last three decades, automated meter reading (AMR) based on one-way or two-way communication has evolved, particularly in the US where radio-based AMR is widely used. AMM broadens the scope of AMR beyond just meter readings with additional features enabled by two-way real-time data communication.

There are numerous drivers, as well as barriers, which influence the developments on the European AMM market. Macroeconomic factors such as energy consumption patterns and tax policies play a major role. The regulatory and competitive environment in each country is also important for regional markets. Technology development is a fourth factor influencing market developments. Electricity prices and electricity consumption levels are strong factors influencing whether AMM is deployed or not in different markets. The European countries with the highest market activity are those with the highest electricity consumption per household - Norway, Sweden and Finland, and those with the highest electricity retail prices - Denmark, the Netherlands and Italy.

Energy market reforms and growing public interest in energy conservation has set the market for AMM-solutions in motion in Western Europe. Upgrading all electricity meters in the EU for AMM would cost EUR 40 billion, based on previous projects. Italy is about to become the first country where virtually all electricity customers are covered by advanced metering systems.

Sweden will follow when the new national metering regulation becomes effective in 2009 and accelerating deployments of AMM in neighbouring Denmark, Finland and Norway will generate high penetration in these countries as well. The Netherlands also considers using legislation to prompt swift deployment of AMM throughout the country, whereas the UK energy authority Ofgem has recently ruled out that option for its jurisdiction.

Enel initiated the largest AMM project in Europe to date in 1999, comprising 30 million meter points. Since then several other leading European energy groups have embarked on similar ventures. Vattenfall announced plans to introduce remote meter reading in Sweden and Finland in 2002 and the following year E.ON Sweden started with its first round of AMMinstallations.

They were later joined by other Nordic energy groups, including Fortum, Skagerak Energi and the companies participating in the Swedish SAMS buying consortium.

In Italy, Enel's example has been followed by regional utilities including ACEA in Rome. Nuon is the first among the domestic energy groups in the Netherlands' that has commenced with AMM-deployments in anticipation of new metering regulations in the country.

Highlights from this new edition:

--Recent market developments in Scandinavia and other parts of Europe.

--Reviews of the major AMM contracts awarded during 2005 and 2006.

--Updated analysis and forecasts for the European AMM market.

--Comprehensive case studies of ongoing projects around Europe.

--Updated profiles of leading meter manufacturers, AMM solution vendors and DSOs on the European market.

Key Topics Covered Include:

--Electricity and gas distribution in Europe

--AMM - Automated meter management

--Market forecasts and trends

--European metering and AMM industry players

--Market profiles: Western Europe

--Case studies: European AMM projects

For more information visit http://www.researchandmarkets.com/reports/c41958