Driven by traditional applications including the three C’s – Communications, Computers and Consumer – as well as several emerging ones, the outlook for the embedded power supply market is expected to remain strong. Projected to grow from $1.7 billon in 2011 to over $2.2 billion in 2016, a compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) of 5.6%, the ac-dc power supply market is not only growing, but undergoing a significant shift in demand characteristics which is expected to result in new product designs and sales opportunities.

The Smart Grid segment is a new addition to this report and is expected to make an immediate impact, as it is projected to be the fastest-growing segment over the forecast period. Made up of three applications, smart meters, electric vehicle chargers and smart appliances, the smart grid segment is expected to be one of the more promising longer-term areas of opportunity. However, an important fact that manufacturers need to be aware of is that the power supplies currently used in smart grid applications are primarily captive areas of production.

Although projected growth in the smart grid segment is expected to be primarily captive, it does not necessarily mean that there will be not be opportunities for power supply manufacturers. As the smart grid matures and expands, new regulations and standards will be adopted, technologies will change, new products will be announced and, according to a number of smart grid insiders, that is when the opportunities for merchant power supplies will develop, as it will become too complicated and expensive to manufacture a custom power supply for each new application. Although this is not expected to happen over the five-year forecast period in this report, it is expected to be a long-term opportunity.

Solid-State Lighting (SSL) is one of the newer categories presented and it is expected to be one of the beneficiaries of the growing smart grid market. This can already be seen in a number of areas in the US and abroad. In fact, with over $4.5 billion in federal grants directed towards funding project development and investment, light-emitting diode (LED) streetlights and smart grid technology have been combined and implemented in a growing number of California cities. Introduced in the last edition, SSL is expected to provide one of the better opportunities for the embedded power supply market.

Solid-state lighting specifically refers to the type of lighting that utilizes LEDs, organic light-emitting diodes (OLED), or polymer light-emitting diodes (PLEDs) as sources of illumination rather than electrical filaments, plasma or gas. LEDs are already in the market and are accepted as a reliable technology. By 2020, LED lighting is anticipated to saturate nearly half of the US commercial, industrial and outdoor lamps market. In light of this fact, the emergence of ac-dc power supplies for LEDs will require power manufacturers to focus on designs that are industrial grade, rugged and can be used outdoors.

The newly added Billboard segment is another emerging market with tremendous potential. Digital LED billboards and large signs along roads and highways and in commercial, sports and entertainment facilities are large and require multiple power supplies. In fact, of the half million billboards in the US, only about 1 in 750 of them use LED lighting solutions. This means the market potential for digital signage has barely been tapped, and a huge market for embedded power supplies exists.

Building Automation Systems (BAS) are another new area of opportunity identified for embedded power supplies. Heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC), lighting and security control systems have traditionally been split, but there is a trend towards merging these systems into a more efficient and cost-effective building management system. In fact, HVAC and lighting control alone comprise more than 70% of a building’s energy consumption, making these segments one of the most promising areas of application. Opportunities exist in both new construction and existing facilities. As an example, more than 80% of commercial buildings in the US are more than 10 years old, representing a significant opportunity for energy efficiency retrofits.

One of the more important findings is that the emerging applications – Smart Grid, SSL and Building Automation – are growing three times faster that the traditional applications, and are projected to make up an increasing portion of the unit market over the forecast period, growing from 22.0% to 32.0% of the unit market share.

Traditional applications will continue to play a large role in the growth of the embedded power supply market. The Communications and Computer segments are both expected to see substantial growth and be among the most reliable industries. Driven by desktops, servers and peripherals, the computer market will see a mix of both high average selling prices (ASPs) and large commoditized unit sales, resulting in one of the largest overall dollar markets in this report. In contrast, the smaller Communications segment will be driven by just four applications, including Customer Premises Equipment (CPE), CATV, Set-top-boxes and PoE, which make up not only a large dollar market, but the largest dollar market share increase over the forecast period. Despite the large unit market, the Consumer segment remains mainly captive production. As a result, the traditional three “Cs” of the industry make up a much smaller portion of the dollar market, providing opportunities for manufacturers in other areas of application.

As stated, the introduction of the SSL market has had a profound effect on the embedded ac-dc power supply market, and led by the Signals and Signs and Illumination segments, will see both its unit and dollar markets increase significantly over the forecast period. Due to a number of factors, including the ongoing Asian situation, it is expected that pricing will not follow the traditional pricing patterns, which includes a steady annual pricing decline. As a result, the average selling prices (ASPs) of ac-dc power supplies will be much flatter than originally expected. In fact, in the first year of the forecasts, the ASPs for a number of applications will actually see a small increase, while others will see either no increase at all, or will realize a smaller-than-expected decline.

The pricing adjustments will have the most impact on the larger, more established segments in this report – the Communications, Computer and Consumer markets. Many of the applications in these segments rely on large-volume, highly commoditized power supplies, and any negative influence in price is more likely to result in shortages and increased material costs for power supply manufacturers. Although the unit projections remain the same, each of the sub-segments will experience either an increasing or flat average selling price in the first year.

Acknowledging that standards have always played a role in the design of ac-dc power supplies, packaging by three industry standards, the Advanced Telecommunications Computing Architecture (ATCA), MicroTCA and CompactPCI Serial packaging configurations have been added to this report. The forecasts for these packaging styles are limited to those applications covered in the report: CPE, CATV, blade servers, Type B, C and D servers, industrial automation and process control, class II medical, COTS and mil/aero. The report identifies how the further expansion of these technologies could provide significant opportunities for the makers of embedded power.

Over 90 tables and graphs are presented in this report covering the embedded power supply market for 41 applications. The focus of this comprehensive analysis will be to provide decision makers with a detailed and insightful look at the current and future opportunities available in the embedded power supply market.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Introduction
Application Updates to the Report
Temporary Pricing Dynamics
Merchant Captive Forecasts
Wattage Forecasts  
Package Style Forecasts
Packaging by Industry Standard Forecasts
Design Type Forecasts
Application Forecasts
Communications Sub-Segment Forecasts  
Computers Sub-Segment Forecasts  
Industrial Sub-Segment Forecasts
Solid State Lighting (SSL) Sub-Segment Forecasts
Medical Sub-Segment Forecasts
Military/Aerospace Sub-Segment Forecasts
Smart Grid Sub-Segment Forecasts
Consumer Sub-Segment Forecasts  
Appendix A Forecast Methodology
Appendix B Pricing Dynamics

Tables

Table 1 – Worldwide Embedded AC-DC Power Supply Emerging vs Traditional Applications (millions of units)
Table 2 – Worldwide Embedded AC-DC Power Supply Merchant and Captive (millions of units)
Table 3 – Worldwide Embedded AC-DC Power by Wattage (millions of units)
Table 4 – Worldwide Embedded AC-DC Power by Wattage (millions of dollars)
Table 5 – Worldwide Embedded AC-DC Power by Wattage ($/unit)
Table 6 – Worldwide Embedded AC-DC Power by Package (millions of units)
Table 7 – Worldwide Embedded AC-DC Power Packaging by Industry Standards (millions of units)
Table 8 – Worldwide Embedded AC-DC Power by Design Type (millions of units)
Table 9 – Worldwide Embedded AC-DC Power Supply Application -Merchant and Captive Production (millions of units)
Table 10 – Worldwide Embedded AC-DC Power by Application – Merchant Production (millions of dollars)
Table 11 – Worldwide Embedded AC-DC Power Supply Market by Communications Sub-Segment (millions of units)
Table 12 – Worldwide Embedded AC-DC Power Supply Market by Communications Sub-Segment (millions of dollars)
Table 13 – Worldwide Embedded AC-DC Power Supply Market by Communications Sub-Segment ($/unit)
Table 14 – Worldwide Embedded AC-DC Power Supply Market by Computer Sub-Segment (millions of units)
Table 15 – Worldwide Embedded AC-DC Power Supply Market by Computer Sub-Segment (millions of dollars)
Table 16 – Worldwide Embedded AC-DC Power Supply Market by Computer Sub-Segment ($/unit)
Table 17 – Worldwide Embedded AC-DC Power Supply Market by Industrial Sub-Segment (millions of units)
Table 18 – Worldwide Embedded AC-DC Power Supply Market by Industrial Sub-Segment (millions of dollars)
Table 19 – Worldwide Embedded AC-DC Power Supply Market by Industrial Sub-Segment ($/unit)
Table 20 – Worldwide Embedded AC-DC Power Supply Market by Solid State Lighting Sub-Segment (millions of units)
Table 21 – Worldwide Embedded AC-DC Power Supply Market by Solid State Lighting Sub-Segment (millions of dollars)
Table 22 – Worldwide Embedded AC-DC Power Supply Market by Solid State Lighting Sub-Segment ($/unit)
Table 23 – Worldwide Embedded AC-DC Power Supply Market by Medical Sub-Segment (millions of units)
Table 24 – Worldwide Embedded AC-DC Power Supply Market by Medical Sub-Segment (millions of dollars)
Table 25 – Worldwide Embedded AC-DC Power Supply Market by Medical Sub-Segment ($/unit)
Table 26 – Worldwide Embedded AC-DC Power Supply Market by Mil/Aero Sub-Segment (millions of units)
Table 27 – Worldwide Embedded AC-DC Power Supply Market by Mil/Aero Sub-Segment (millions of dollars)
Table 28 – Worldwide Embedded AC-DC Power Supply Market by Mil/Aero Sub-Segment ($/unit)
Table 29 – Worldwide Embedded AC-DC Power Supply Smart Grid (millions of units)
Table 30 – Worldwide Embedded AC-DC Power Supply Consumer Sub-Segment (millions of units)
Table 31 – Worldwide Embedded AC-DC Power Supply Consumer Sub-Segment (millions of dollars)
Table 32 – Worldwide Embedded AC-DC Power Supply Consumer Sub-Segment ($/unit)
Table 33– Worldwide Embedded AC-DC Power Supply Dynamics by Wattage (Year-to-Year Growth Rates)
Table 34– Worldwide Embedded AC-DC Power Supply Dynamics by Communications Sub-Segment (Year-to-Year Growth Rates)
Table 35– Worldwide Embedded AC-DC Power Supply Dynamics by Computer Sub-Segment (Year-to-Year Growth Rates)
Table 36 – Worldwide Embedded AC-DC Power Supply Dynamics by Industrial Sub-Segment (Year-to-Year Growth Rates)
Table 37 – Worldwide Embedded AC-DC Power Supply Dynamics by Solid State Lighting Sub-Segment (Year-to-Year Growth Rates)
Table 38– Worldwide Embedded AC-DC Power Supply Dynamics by Medical Sub-Segment (Year-to-Year Growth Rates)
Table 39– Worldwide Embedded AC-DC Power Supply Dynamics by Military/Aerospace Sub-Segment (Year-to-Year Growth Rates)
Table 40 – Worldwide Embedded AC-DC Power Supply Dynamics by Consumer Sub-Segment (Year-to-Year Growth Rates)

Graphs

Graph 1 – Worldwide Embedded AC-DC Power Emerging vs Traditional Applications (millions of units)
Graph 2 – Worldwide Embedded AC-DC Power by Merchant and Captive (millions of units)
Graph 3 – Worldwide Embedded AC-DC Power by Merchant and Captive (unit market share)
Graph 4 – Worldwide Embedded AC-DC Power by Wattage (millions of units)
Graph 5 – Worldwide Embedded AC-DC Power by Wattage (millions of dollars)
Graph 6 – Worldwide Embedded AC-DC Power by Wattage Pricing Trends ($/unit)
Graph 7 – Worldwide Embedded AC-DC Power by Wattage (dollar market share)
Graph 8 – Worldwide Embedded AC-DC Power by Package Style (millions of units)
Graph 9 – Worldwide Embedded AC-DC Power Supply Package Style (unit market share)
Graph 10 – Worldwide Embedded AC-DC Power Packaging by Industry Standard (millions of units)
Graph 11 – Worldwide Embedded AC-DC Power by Design Type (millions of units)
Graph 12 – Worldwide Embedded AC-DC Power by Design Type (unit market share)
Graph 13 – Worldwide Embedded AC-DC Power by Application (millions of units)
Graph 14 – Worldwide Embedded AC-DC Power by Application (millions of dollars)
Graph 15 – Worldwide Embedded AC-DC Power by Application (unit market share)
Graph 16 – Worldwide Embedded AC-DC Power by Application (dollar market share)
Graph 17 – Worldwide Embedded AC-DC Power Supply by Communications Sub-Segment (million of units)
Graph 18 – Worldwide Embedded AC-DC Power Supply by Communications Sub-Segment (millions of dollars)
Graph 19 – Worldwide Embedded AC-DC Power by Communications Sub-Segment Pricing Trends ($/unit)
Graph 20 – Worldwide Embedded AC-DC Power by Communications Sub-Segment (unit market share)
Graph 21 – Worldwide Embedded AC-DC Power by Communications Sub-Segment (dollar market share)
Graph 22 – Worldwide Embedded AC-DC Power Supply Market by Computer Sub-Segment (millions of units)
Graph 23 – Worldwide Embedded AC-DC Power Supply by Computer Sub-Segment (millions of dollars)
Graph 24 – Worldwide Embedded AC-DC Power by Computer Sub-Segment Pricing Trends ($/unit)
Graph 25 – Worldwide Embedded AC-DC Power by Computer Sub-Segment Market Share Comparison in 2009 (unit vs dollar size)
Graph 26 – Worldwide Embedded AC-DC Power by Computer Sub-Segment (dollar market share)
Graph 27 – Worldwide Embedded AC-DC Power Supply by Industrial Sub-Segment (millions of units)
Graph 28 – Worldwide Embedded AC-DC Power Supply by Industrial Sub-Segment (millions of dollars)
Graph 29 – Worldwide Embedded AC-DC Power by Industrial Sub-Segment Pricing Trends /unit)
Graph 30 – Worldwide Embedded AC-DC Power by Industrial Sub-Segment (dollar market share)
Graph 31 – Worldwide Embedded AC-DC Power Supply by Solid State Lighting Sub-Segment (millions of units)
Graph 32 – Worldwide Embedded AC-DC Power Supply by Solid State Lighting Sub-Segment (millions of dollars)
Graph 33 – Worldwide Embedded AC-DC Power by Solid State Lighting Sub-Segment Pricing Trends ($/unit)
Graph 34 – Worldwide Embedded AC-DC Power by Solid State Lighting Sub-Segment (dollar market share)
Graph 35 – Worldwide Embedded AC-DC Power Supply by Medical Sub-Segment (millions of units)
Graph 36 – Worldwide Embedded AC-DC Power Supply by Medical Sub-Segment (millions of dollars)
Graph 37 – Worldwide Embedded AC-DC Power by Medical Sub-Segment Pricing Trends ($/unit)
Graph 38 – Worldwide Embedded AC-DC Power by Medical Sub-Segment (dollar market share)
Graph 39 – Worldwide Embedded AC-DC Power Supply by Mil/Aero Sub-Segment (millions of units)
Graph 40 – Worldwide Embedded AC-DC Power Supply by Mil/Aero Sub-Segment Pricing Trends $/unit)
Graph 41 – Worldwide Embedded AC-DC Power by Mil/Aero Sub-Segment (million of dollars)
Graph 42 – Worldwide Embedded AC-DC Power by Mil/Aero Sub-Segment (dollar market share)
Graph 43 – Worldwide Embedded AC-DC Power Supply by Consumer Sub-Segment (millions of units)
Graph 44 – Worldwide Embedded AC-DC Power Supply by Consumer Sub-Segment (millions of dollars)
Graph 45 – Worldwide Embedded AC-DC Power by Consumer Sub-Segment Pricing Trends ($/unit)
Graph 46 – Worldwide Embedded AC-DC Power by Consumer Sub-Segment (unit market share)
Graph 47 – Worldwide Embedded AC-DC Power by Consumer Sub-Segment (dollar market share)
Graph 48 – Worldwide Embedded AC-DC Power Supply Dynamics by Wattage (Year-to-Year Growth Rates)
Graph 49 – Worldwide Embedded AC-DC Power Supply Dynamics by Communications Sub-Segment (Year-to-Year Growth Rates)
Graph 50 – Worldwide Embedded AC-DC Power Supply Dynamics by Computer Sub-Segment (Year-to-Year Growth Rates)
Graph 51 – Worldwide Embedded AC-DC Power Supply Dynamics by Industrial Sub-Segment (Year-to-Year Growth Rates)
Graph 52 – Worldwide Embedded AC-DC Power Supply Dynamics by Solid State Lighting Sub-Segment (Year-to-Year Growth Rates)
Graph 53 – Worldwide Embedded AC-DC Power Supply Dynamics by Medical Sub-Segment (Year-to-Year Growth Rates)
Graph 54 – Worldwide Embedded AC-DC Power Supply Dynamics by Military/Aerospace Sub-Segment (Year-to-Year Growth Rates)
Graph 55 – Worldwide Embedded AC-DC Power Supply Dynamics by Consumer Sub-Segment (Year-to-Year Growth Rates)