Power Generation Market Research

Energy Market Research

Power Generation Market Research-Custom Project Examples

Production, energy delivery, distributed power. Renewable resources: wind (on-shore, offshore), solar, biogas, ocean energy, alternative fuels. Coal, oil, natural gas, nuclear, hydro. Commercial, government, industrial, utility.

Mobile power solutions-standby-emergency (black starts, outages) for power plants

Project Scope: Leading manufacturer of highly compact gas turbine engine power solutions with superior performance, proven reliability, reduced maintenance costs was seeking to diversify and expand its business in the power plant market.

Coal, gas, oil-fired and related facilities were increasingly seeking to improve operational efficiency and often required flexibility for power integration in power controls both in ongoing operations and during maintenance intervals. The need for high availability and reliability was more critical than ever to reduce risk of lost revenue, and they increasingly relied on Balance of Plant (BoP) equipment including mobile power, blowers, compressors, pumps, and related solutions.

Execution: This research assessment was executed with heavy emphasis on direct research with key decision-makers at a variety of power generating plants. Key topics addressed included current and changing requirements, present solutions, unmet needs, competitive advantages and vulnerabilities, associated services, upgrades, accessories, aftermarket solutions, competitive and market prices, and procedures to get qualified and selected.

Extensive secondary market data and in-house intelligence was also assembled, including estimates on market growth, and reasonable market share attainment.

Detailed recommendations were developed regarding key customer targets, channel strategies, and feature design.

Result: This company now had a current and comprehensive assessment of this specific business opportunity in power plants, and a clear game plan for optimum sales and revenue generation. The company was now able to make fact-based decisions which paved the way to successful market entry.

Custom engineered bellows for valves, actuators, seals, other power plant components

Project Scope: A supplier of custom engineered components for harsh environments was seeking new growth in power generation. With unique capabilities in designing solutions with high reliability for extreme temperature, pressure, corrosion, vibration applications, they were interested in targeting power plants, had unsolicited inquiries that had developed into initial contracts and were interested in developing a concentrated sales and marketing effort for organized, direct business development.

Expansion joints were critical in power plants where thermal expansion must be absorbed, such as piping running to power turbines or condensers. Desires for improved power plant design efficiency were driving demand for new solutions, which impacted various plant equipment including engine exhaust system, gas turbines, steam turbines, boilers, scrubbers and other units.

Execution: This opportunity assessment relied heavily on direct engagement with key power plant decision-makers, securing critical feedback on applications where this company could apply its technology to address current and future applications. In addition, it analyzed key competitors, solutions, future strategies, addressable market size and growth, pricing, aftermarket potential (spares and repairs), channel strategies by particular plant types, support services, upgrades and accessories, and detailed recommendations on steps to take to become a dominant player and sustain this position

Result: This independent, custom research assessment was critical to enable this company to define and develop solutions to meet changing powerplant operational issues and requirements.

Remote emissions monitoring (greenhouse gases)-power generating plants

Project Scope: A company with advanced imaging solutions with application for emissions monitoring was seeking to diversify its business in major coal, gas, and oil fired power plants. Although many plants had been repowered resulting in reduced CO2, NOx, and SO2, as well as from combined cycle technologies, there were many facilities where continuous emissions monitoring (CEMS) was required, and there appeared to be a need for new, more efficient technologies.

This company had a unique approach to ingest, process, fuse, and display high resolution meteorological and environmental data. It also could remotely monitor equipment performance using high-speed connectivity and specialized performance software for equipment optimization.

Regulations were also changing, and this company needed an independent assessment of this business potential opportunity..

Execution: This custom opportunity assessment was incremental to what this company had already developed internally, and emphasized in-depth feedback directly from process and environmental managers at leading power plants. In addition, select published research data was also analyzed and assembled for background purposes.

Key topics researched and assembled in this report included validation of purchase interest, calculation of potential market size, competitive offerings, customer decision-making, regulatory issues, pricing, expected sales cycle and related data. Also:

recent awards, solutions they should offer, specific opportunities to pursue over the next several years.

This research also provided independent recommendations with regard to: gaining advantage over current suppliers, channel strategies, and particular customers and opportunities to target first.

Result: This independent assessment provided critical guidance in a market undergoing rapid change. This company now had a detailed understanding of this market opportunity and potential business it could develop. This allowed it to make key decisions on both technology development as well as marketing and sales channel strategies.

This custom research significantly accelerated its original business planning timetable, and set it on a path toward substantial new revenues in the changing power generation industry.

Nuclear plant equipment qualification testing-market assessment (electrical, mechanical, digital equipment)

Project Scope: A leading test, evaluation and equipment-qualification services firm was seeking to broaden its business in the nuclear power plant market.

Market requirements in this industry were changing, due to recent plant safety problems, and this industry appeared poised for tighter qualification testing. Although this varied by reactor design, key changes were anticipated in multiple safety-related electrical and mechanical systems and components used in plants, and testing involved thermal and radiation aging, seismic and vibration simulation, cyclic aging, steam event simulations, electromagnetic radio frequency interference, and multiple other qualification tests.

Prior to investing in this new business expansion, this company needed an independent, custom market assessment of potential business opportunity.

Execution: This was strictly incremental research to what the company had developed internally, with heavy emphasis on direct engagement with key decision-makers at major nuclear power facilities. Key questions included: current practices, major challenges and possible future problems, current suppliers, how facility needs were changing, types of support services, pricing, qualification and selection, and contracting approaches.

In addition, this included secondary data analysis of regulatory changes and emerging market trends. A custom spreadsheet of target plants which appeared to be high potential candidates were developed, as well as recommendations on channel strategies, and particular customers and opportunities to target first.

Result: As a result of this custom, in-depth opportunity assessment, this company was able accelerate its strategic planning timetable by nearly 18 months, enabling this company to accelerate its knowledge and understanding of key business options and form supportable business directions which today are the foundation of a highly successful and sustaining business.

Mobile Electric Power Generation Solution-Market Assessment-Emerging, Developing Countries (Africa, SE Asia, Middle East, Latin America)

STS Research Group