Last year, GTM Research introduced the world to the concept of "grid edge," the energy market that has emerged out of the confluence of distributed generation, analytics, storage and customer empowerment. At GTM Research, we've pivoted our coverage to focus on this exciting space. The following list ranks our most-read grid edge research reports of 2014. Reading between the lines, it may hint at what could emerge as the most successful grid edge markets.

1. Distributed Energy Storage 2014: Applications and Opportunities for Commercial Energy

If research purchases can be used as a gauge for future market activity, we should start seeing some action in the distributed energy storage market. Our most popular grid edge report of 2014, this comprehensive analysis explores distributed energy storage as a new paradigm of electricity supply, delving into the market drivers and barriers, storage incentives and regulations, and wholesale market opportunities. It also provides a forecast and details future opportunities in the distributed energy storage market and submarkets.

GTM Research expects the energy storage market to be one of the most exciting facets of the grid-edge landscape and recently announced a partnership with Energy Storage Association (ESA) to put more resources into storage research.

2. Distributed Energy Resource Management Systems 2014: Technologies, Deployments and Opportunities


A distributed energy resource management system (DERMS) is a software-based solution that increases an operator’s real-time visibility into its underlying distributed asset capabilities. Despite its less-than-sexy title, clients have been clamoring to get their hands on research about this nascent market.

3. U.S. Demand Response Market Outlook 2014

What will demand response in the United States look like over the course of the next ten years? That's one of the questions GTM Research answers in its newest grid edge report.

4. Advanced Grid Power Electronics for High-Penetration PV Integration 2014

Distributed generation accounted for half of all installed solar photovoltaics in the booming U.S. solar market during the second quarter of 2014. Penetration of distributed solar is set to increase by more than 300 percent in the United States over the next four years, straining existing distribution infrastructure at the local level in at least thirteen states. In response to the increasing penetration, the market for advanced grid power electronics will surge. Utilities, power electronics manufacturers, and investors were the first companies in line to purchase this important research.

5.) North American Microgrids 2014: The Evolution of Localized Energy Optimization

Microgrids are arguably the most representative systems of the grid-edge landscape, bringing together generation, renewables, storage, distribution, and analytics into a single system. Analyst Magdalena Klemun provides a deep dive into the small but growing North American microgrid market in this popular report.

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For more information on GTM Research's grid edge reports, contact GTM's Hunter Sapp at [email protected]