PART 2 - We Asked … and You Told Us: Smart Grid Companies to Watch in 2010

Today we continue with our look at Smart Grid companies that readers nominated as ones to watch in the year ahead. If you missed the first installment, you can find it here.

Here’s how this works: Our team reviewed all the nominations and did a preliminary sort. Posted below is the second set of Smart Grid companies that made the cut; we’ll run the remaining ones over the next few days so be sure to check back. Also, what you see below are abbreviated versions of the text provided by the person who nominated the company; we have not verified the information for accuracy. Normally, we vet things before we pass them along to you. In this case, we wanted you to see what readers said themselves.

After we run your nominations we will suggest a few additional companies that we think belong on the list – and then you can vote to pick the 10 companies to watch in 2010.

Here is the second set of nominees, selected randomly:

Ambient -- I believe their communication integration products will provide the paths to allow multiple manufacturers’ systems to communicate over a wide range of communication mediums.

[Note from Jesse:  And I'd like to nominate Ambient for stick-to-it-ivness. They were very early to the BPL party, and suffered when that technology failed to take off in the U.S. They've worked hard to reinvent themselves with utility-grade products and services.]

Ambient Web site

GE – As you have discussed in your past articles, GE is behind and playing catch-up. They have significant resources to pull on to catch up so I think you will see GE moving from the development cycle with new technology to utility deployment in 2010.

[Note from Jesse: GE is definitely a company to watch in 2010, because this is the year we'll find out if they really get the Smart Grid... or that they've missed the bus.]

GE Web site

HAI -- Home Automation, Inc. is not well known in the Smart Grid space yet, but is poised for explosive growth in the Home Area Network (HAN) space in 2010 with its line of Smart Grid Solutions products.  HAI has leveraged their 25 years of experience in the home automation space to put together a full suite of products for the HAN including a very unique Programmable Communicating Thermostat (PCT) that acts as an In Home Display. HAI brings a host of new features to the HAN space with technology like Multicolor Displays that can change color in response to pricing signals from the utility company. 

[Note from Jesse: Home area networking is definitely an area to watch. The challenge: there are dozens of companies with similar product lines making similar promises. This is the year winners will start to distance themselves. Do you agree with this gentleman that HAI will be one of the front runners?]

HAI Web site

Power Tagging -- This innovative company can tag electrons over the wires of the transmission grid, and safely and securely "tag" the power from origin to end user.  The technology is the key to providing secure data as it doesn't rely on wireless transmission signals.

[Note from Jesse: I'm very definite on this one. I definitely don't know. This is either a groundbreaking concept ... or a science project that will take years to gain traction (if ever). I'll be interested to read your comments and opinions in the Talk Back section below … and to see your votes when we get to the final installment.]

Power Tagging Web site

Sequentric -- Many smart grid companies fall in the trap of being a “me-too” company technically or having a product that is prohibitively too expensive for utility and consumer customers alike. Sequentric creates a home area network that connects the major energy-using appliances back to the utility at an attractive price point.  Unlike its competitors, Sequentric differentiates itself not just by being the low-cost provider, but its software algorithms allow the utilities to seamlessly demand shift appliances like air conditioners and water heaters a few seconds to minutes, which maintains comfort and minimizes peak demand spikes.

[Note from Jesse: We were one of the first to spot Sequentric as an intriguing possibility. Where do we stand today? See my note above about HAI, then use Talk Back below to say whether we should be watching HAI, or Sequentric, or both.]

Sequentric Web site

Check back tomorrow for more nominees for 2010's Smart Grid companies to watch.  

More on SGN …

PART 1: Smart Grid Companies to Watch

PART 3: Smart Grid Companies to Watch