What is Driving the Growth of Power over Ethernet?

Since its introduction in 2002, Power over Ethernet has gradually gained momentum in the market. Today, PoE has not only gained market acceptance, but is being pushed to even higher power levels, as a next generation of PoE technology is on the horizon. A new PoE standard, IEEE 802.3bt – or PoE++ — is expected to be ratified before the end of 2018, and will triple the power delivery capabilities from today’s standard.

The increased power delivery means the technology can be used to power a new generation of powered devices. However, while it will be possible to run a desktop computer or television using PoE, those applications take a backseat to several more common applications that are driving the acceptance of Power over Ethernet in the Enterprise space. According to BSRIA forecast projections from September 2015, PoE to the desktop has been and will continue to be the biggest driver. In 2014, PoE powered one or more devices on an estimated 80% of all desktops. That number is expected to increase to 92% by 2020.

While the highest PoE usage is to the desktop, two applications are driving the uptake in PoE usage: wireless access points and security cameras. Today, about 55% of all wireless access points are powered using Power over Ethernet. That usage is projected to surge to 80% by 2020, and as more WAPs are deployed, that will, in turn, increase the amount of power that is delivered by PoE. Also driving PoE usage are security cameras. Today, about 35% of all security cameras are powered with PoE. BSRIA predicts that will grow to 50% within the next five years.

Wireless access points and security cameras are not only driving the usage of PoE, they are also the devices that are largely driving the need for the higher power levels that will become a reality with PoE++. Cameras are becoming more sophisticated, with pan, tilt and zoom features that require more wattage to properly operate. And, wireless access points are also power-hungry as they continue to evolve to keep up with wifi demands.

The Good News

So, what does this increased reliance on Power over Ethernet mean for your structured cabling installation? For the most part, it is good news! Today’s cabling can support the new power levels. There are factors that need to be addressed … like temperature rise, but they are easily addressable using the copper cabling infrastructure that is on the market today. Our white paper: Power over Ethernet with Panduit Copper Cabling spells out some of the common issues that need to be addressed when deploying PoE.