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. Looking back at what worked and what didn't is often a way to get clarity on how to move forward. See if you agree as you review our picks for 2010’s smart grid winners. And be sure to check back next week when we'll identify losers (and a few that are teetering on the edge).
ABB – Not all that long ago I was worried ABB might miss the smart grid wave. I wrote back in May 2009 that the Swiss firm needed to adopt a greater sense of urgency. Well, they stepped it up and -- a few ABB smart grid acquisitions later -- ABB is clearly in the game and playing for keeps.
Accenture – That economic downturn that had so many companies reeling? Someone forgot to tell Accenture about it. The consulting services company is rolling in business – and its expertise in smart grid implementations is only going to be more in demand.
China – With strong and consistent government support, China this year snagged the lead from the U.S. in renewable energy investing and just announced plans to spend the equivalent of $300 billion over the next five years on a broad range of infrastructure including Chinese smart grid networks, smart homes and smart transportation.
Cisco – The tech powerhouse took the wraps off its home energy management and grid security solutions earlier this year. Cisco calls it an innovation platform; in my book they explain why Cisco has the grid's first operating system.
Denmark – As with many other European countries with a high smart grid IQ, the Danes think of the smart grid as the glue that ties together a much larger smart energy strategy. With world-leading renewables, phenomenal co-generation, an aggressive electric vehicle program and a goal to be completely free of fossil fuels by 2025 (!!!), Denmark gets my vote as the world’s cleanest, greenest country.
DOE – We may respectfully disagree with some of the DOE’s misguided stimulus funding priorities and even specific awards, but we give Director Chu and his team two snaps for pushing the smart grid agenda with passion and diligence. Let's hope a Congressional budget axe doesn't bump them into the loser’s category next year.
EnerNOC – I worry that EnerNOC’s demand response leadership is under assault, but 2010 has been a solid year for the Boston-based company that is currently the clear leader in DR.
IBM – Ever notice that if there's a big project, chances are IBM is on the team? Whether it's a South Korean renewable energy management system, teaming with an EU-funded consortium to find breakthrough ways to lower the energy consumption of electronic devices or partnering on systems integration for Australia's first smart grid build-out – Big Blue is on board and out front.
Nissan Leaf – This is the year EVs finally reached the mass market and from everything we've seen, the all-electric Leaf has made an impressive debut, winning Europe's car of the year honors and similar recognition elsewhere. The Nissan Leaf isn't for everyone yet – but it's on the right path.
Pepco – Teaming with eMeter and others in a pilot to test advanced metering technology and three pricing menus, Pepco's PowerCentsDC project not only demonstrated that residential customers will respond to dynamic pricing and cut their consumption – but it provided a very visible smart grid primer for politicos in D.C.
San Diego Gas & Electric – In a state where utility bashing seems to be a way of life, a little positive news can't hurt. Enter SDG&E, which for the second year in a row took top honors in the UtiliQ rankings as the most intelligent utility in the U.S.
S&C Electric – With distribution automation catching on, S&C is in the thick of the action with its pioneering approach to distributed intelligence. As I've said before, there is a lot to like about the distributed approach to distribution automation, and about the steps S&C has taken to make its devices as autonomous as possible.
That's my dozen 2010 winners. You probably have a few you'd like to add (or subtract) from my list. Please add your comments in the Talk Back form below.
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