The global ring main unit market is projected to witness substantial growth between 2022-2030 credited to rapid urbanization and the construction of new commercial, residential, and industrial projects. The need for high-voltage grid infrastructure to support industrial activities will attract large-scale investments and demand for ring main units (RMU). According to IEA, the global investment in renewable energy surpassed USD 440 billion in 2021.


Growing cross-border interconnections and increasing energy demand have led to the construction of advanced power distribution networks. Meanwhile, new government initiatives are focusing on the expansion of energy distribution networks to overcome existing operational challenges such as frequent power failures.


The ring main units (RMU) market is classified into insulation, position, installation, component, application, and region.


Based on insulation, the industry is segregated into gas, air, oil, solid di-electric, and others. The oil-insulated ring main unit market is anticipated to witness a sustainable rise in demand owing to the growing need for equipment for maintenance and services of systems.


In terms of position, the 6-position RMU market is anticipated to grow at a decent pace and surpass USD 1 billion by 2030. A rise in focus on the expansion and development of industrial manufacturing units and new power generation plants will favor product demand. Requirement for high tension electricity infrastructure across urban and suburban localities along with shifting focus on operational reliability and grid safety will fuel the use of 6-position ring main units.


Based on components, the market is fragmented into the self-powered electronic relay, and switch & fuses. Among these, self-powered electronic relay-based RMUs are gaining steady acceptance on account of various benefits associated with these system components. Self-powered electronic relay provide precise monitoring and are integrated with improved fault response techniques.


With respect to application, the ring main unit market is categorized into infrastructure, distribution utilities, transportation, industries, and others. The industrial application segment is poised to witness lucrative growth due to increasing efforts to increase production and manufacturing capacities. Growing demand for affordable counterparts and volume manufacturing practices will favor the adoption of RMU in this landscape.

Middle East & Africa ring main unit market is estimated to exhibit substantial growth over 2030. Replacement and refurbishment of aging energy infrastructure and a need to meet ambitious emission reduction targets and energy conservation regulations will foster product demand across the region.

The lack of grid connectivity across remote areas and massive electricity demand will influence regional industry growth. For instance, in December 2021, the Ministry of Energy of Saudi Arabia announced a national target to invest USD 38 billion in energy distribution by 2030.