What are the development trends in high- and low-voltage complete switchgear?

Driven by the "dual-carbon" goals and the development of a new power system, the high- and low-voltage switchgear industry is undergoing a profound transformation toward intelligent and green technologies. At the same time, trends such as the widespread adoption of modular design and increasing market concentration are becoming increasingly prominent, as detailed below:

Deep integration of intelligence and digitalization is the core development direction for the industry. Equipment is increasingly incorporating technologies such as the Internet of Things and edge computing to enable real-time condition monitoring, remote diagnostics, and fault early warning. For example, after integrating digital twin technology, virtual models of equipment can be created, boosting overall lifecycle management efficiency by up to 40%. By 2025, the penetration rate of intelligent products is expected to rise to around 50%, and by 2030, the penetration rate of smart distribution cabinets will reach 68%. Moreover, smart devices equipped with remote control capabilities will become the market mainstream. Meanwhile, to align with smart grids, equipment is gradually achieving interoperability with distribution automation systems, thereby helping to increase the coverage of distribution automation.

Green and environmentally friendly practices have become mandatory requirements: Driven by environmental regulations and the “dual-carbon” goals, eco-friendly equipment is accelerating its iterative development. On the one hand, SF6-free circuit breakers—environmentally friendly alternatives—are gradually replacing traditional fluorine-containing equipment; it’s projected that by 2026, the market share of SF6-free circuit breakers will exceed 30%. On the other hand, the industry is prioritizing the adoption of environmentally friendly insulating materials and energy-efficient components to reduce equipment operating energy consumption and emissions of harmful substances. Moreover, companies are also promoting greening of production processes, improving equipment recycling rates, and reducing the carbon footprint across the entire lifecycle.

Modular and compact designs are becoming mainstream: Modular design can significantly enhance the efficiency of equipment installation and maintenance, while also offering flexible adaptation to meet diverse scenario requirements. The penetration rate of this design is expected to rise from 32% in 2023 to 65% by 2030. Meanwhile, compact devices have become a key focus of R&D—achieving a 40% reduction in volume while simultaneously increasing current-carrying capacity by 15%. This design not only saves installation space but also meets the stringent space constraints of specialized environments such as offshore wind farms and data centers. 
Focusing on the specialized development of new-energy supporting equipment: The new-energy sector has become a core growth engine for equipment demand. The large-scale adoption of 1500V DC systems in photovoltaic power plants is driving a sharp increase in demand for high-voltage switchgear; meanwhile, the integration of energy-storage systems is generating substantial demand for a wide range of new low-voltage complete sets of equipment—2023.

In 2028, the annual demand for supporting equipment for energy storage inverters is expected to increase from 120,000 sets to 350,000 sets. In addition, specialized high- and low-voltage complete sets of equipment tailored to specific environments—such as those with high altitudes, extremely cold climates, and offshore wind farms—featuring enhanced corrosion resistance, are being rapidly developed and introduced into the market.

Market concentration is increasing, and overseas expansion is accelerating: Leading companies, leveraging their technological and industrial-chain advantages, are expanding their market share through vertical integration. In 2023, the market concentration among the top 10 companies in the industry had already reached 41.7%, and it is projected to exceed 55% by 2030. Meanwhile, there is strong demand for upgrading power infrastructure in countries along the Belt and Road initiative, prompting domestic enterprises to actively expand into overseas markets. It is estimated that from 2025 to 2030, the scale of overseas orders placed by Chinese companies will surpass 80 billion yuan, and the global market share of domestically produced equipment will continue to rise.