Electric Sub-Meter Market - Global Industry Size, Share, Trends, Opportunity, and Forecast, 2021-2031

The Global Electric Sub-Meter Market is projected to expand from USD 12.87 Billion in 2025 to USD 18.29 Billion by 2031, registering a CAGR of 6.03%. Electric sub-meters are distinct from primary utility meters, functioning as precision devices installed downstream to monitor energy usage for specific departments, individual tenants, or distinct equipment circuits. Market growth is primarily propelled by the enforcement of strict energy efficiency regulations and the financial necessity to accurately allocate electricity costs among building occupants. Furthermore, the rising demand for granular data to verify energy conservation measures underpins this expansion. This momentum is supported by significant capital flows; according to the International Energy Agency, global investment in energy efficiency was expected to hit USD 660 billion in 2024, highlighting the substantial financial backing for technologies such as sub-metering.

However, a major obstacle restricting market expansion is the technical complexity of integrating modern devices with legacy infrastructure. Many older buildings lack the compatible digital protocols or necessary cabling required for new systems, leading to high retrofit costs that can deter installation. This issue of interoperability frequently delays deployment and complicates the data retrieval processes that are crucial for effective energy management.

Market Drivers

The escalating demand for operational cost reduction and energy efficiency acts as a primary catalyst for the global electric sub-meter market. As facility managers and building owners face increasing pressure to optimize consumption, sub-meters have become essential for granular monitoring to identify wastage. This urgency is highlighted by rising usage levels; according to the International Energy Agency's 'Global Energy Review 2025', released in April 2025, global electricity consumption in buildings rose by over 600 TWh in 2024. This significant load increase necessitates precise downstream measurement tools to validate conservation strategies and allocate costs accurately. Consequently, major industry players are seeing strong financial returns; for example, Schneider Electric reported in its 'Full Year 2024 Results' in February 2025 that revenues in its Energy Management segment grew organically by 12%, reflecting the growing commercial demand for sophisticated monitoring solutions.

Market growth is further accelerated by the modernization of electrical grid infrastructure and the deployment of smart grids, which create the necessary digital ecosystem for advanced metering. Governments and utilities are investing heavily in upgrading legacy grids to enable real-time data analytics and bidirectional communication, facilitating seamless integration with sub-metering networks. This infrastructure renewal is driving substantial industrial activity, as evidenced by Landis+Gyr's 'Financial Report 2024' from May 2025, which reported a record committed backlog of USD 4.6 billion. These upgrades ensure that sub-metering systems can effectively interface with the broader smart grid, supporting critical features such as dynamic load management and demand response.

Market Challenges

A formidable barrier to the growth of the global electric sub-meter market is the technical difficulty associated with integrating modern sub-meters into legacy infrastructure. In many existing facilities, the lack of compatible communication protocols or digital cabling necessitates extensive and expensive structural retrofits before installation can proceed. These high upfront costs significantly extend the payback period for energy management projects, often discouraging facility owners from adopting sub-metering solutions. As a result, the incompatibility between outdated electrical systems and advanced devices stalls deployment and complicates the seamless data acquisition needed for effective energy auditing.

This interoperability challenge leads to sluggish adoption rates in mature economies where infrastructure is aging rapidly. The scale of this obsolescence requires immense capital for rectification, diverting funds that might otherwise support device deployment. According to Eurelectric, in 2024, 30% of Europe's distribution grids were reported to be over 40 years old, creating a need for annual investments of EUR 67 billion to ensure modernization. This data underscores the widespread prevalence of antiquated infrastructure that sub-metering vendors must navigate to expand their market presence.

Market Trends

The market is being fundamentally reshaped by the convergence with Building Automation Systems, as sub-meters evolve from passive recording tools into active components of integrated facility management. Contemporary sub-metering solutions are increasingly engineered to interface directly with centralized building controls, enabling facility managers to automate lighting and HVAC adjustments based on real-time energy consumption data. This synergy enhances operational efficiency and simplifies the execution of complex energy-saving strategies across large commercial properties. The growing demand for such interconnected infrastructure is reflected in the financial results of key leaders; according to Siemens' 'Q3 FY 2024 Earnings Release' in August 2024, orders in the Smart Infrastructure segment rose by 11% on a comparable basis, indicating a robust appetite for intelligent, integrated building technologies.

Simultaneously, the integration with Internet of Things (IoT) ecosystems is expanding the utility of sub-meters by transforming them into connected intelligent nodes. This trend involves outfitting meters with advanced communication modules that transmit granular usage data to cloud-based platforms, allowing for remote monitoring and sophisticated data visualization without the need for physical data retrieval. This connectivity supports proactive energy management and facilitates the seamless incorporation of sub-meters into broader smart city networks and digital grids. Commercial traction for these solutions is significant; according to ABB's 'Q3 2024 Results' from October 2024, revenues in the Electrification business area increased by 10% comparable year-on-year, driven largely by surging demand for digitally enabled power distribution systems and data center solutions.

Key Players Profiled in the Electric Sub-Meter Market

• General Electric Company
• Genus Power Infrastructures Limited
• Hexing Electrical Co., Ltd.
• Itron Inc.
• Kamstrup A/S
• Leviton Manufacturing Co., Inc.
• Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
• OSAKI Group
• Schneider Electric SE
• Siemens AG

Report Scope

In this report, the Global Electric Sub-Meter Market has been segmented into the following categories:

Electric Sub-Meter Market, by Type:

• Smart Sub-Meter
• Electronic Sub-Meter
• Electromechanical Sub-Meter

Electric Sub-Meter Market, by Phase:

• Single Phase
• Three Phase

Electric Sub-Meter Market, by End-User:

• Industrial
• Residential
• Commercial

Electric Sub-Meter Market, by Region:

• North America
• Europe
• Asia-Pacific
• South America
• Middle East & Africa

Competitive Landscape

Company Profiles: Detailed analysis of the major companies present in the Global Electric Sub-Meter Market.

Available Customization

The analyst offers customization according to your specific needs. The following customization options are available for the report:

• Detailed analysis and profiling of additional market players (up to five).

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