If you've been following along you know we've been featuring companies nominated by readers for our annual Smart Grid Companies to Watch competition. We're now on our 5th installment. Scroll down to see which companies are highlighted today and vote for the one you think should move to the next round. (Once you've voted the poll data will disappear.) If you missed previous installments, they are linked at the bottom of the page. How it works: Readers nominated companies they think should be on our radar in 2013 – .

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companies with the potential to be this year's smart grid superstars. We are presenting six reader nominations each day - along with daily quick polls - until we

Note: In many cases what you see below is a condensed version of the nomination that was sent in since many folks had trouble limiting their nominations to a single paragraph. You should also know that we have not verified the accuracy of information contained in nominations.

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BuildingIQ’s Predictive Energy Optimization technology is the only solution that leverages predictive modeling for intelligently controlling commercial building energy consumption in real-time. BuildingIQ’s cloud based software predicts and manages energy consumption in commercial buildings by analyzing and continuously making adjustments to building controls based on variables such as weather, demand response signals, occupant comfort and utility rates. This software is utilized on a subscription basis, thus allowing building owners to experience immediate results in energy savings while avoiding the barriers of large capital investments. This simple solution can lower consumption by up to 30 percent in any building. Through innovative technology and strategic partnerships with industry leaders such as Johnson Controls, Nevada Energy and the US National Labs at Argonne, BuildingIQ is poised to make large strides in the energy management market during 2013.  BuildingsIQ’s website>>

FreeWave Technologies is committed to delivering unmatched value and customer satisfaction in the marketplace. Utilities, large and small, rely heavily on the company’s high-performance radios for mission critical communications in distribution systems, SCADA and substations. IOUs, municipalities and cooperatives use FreeWave in their systems for protective relays, re-closers, cap banks, circuit breakers and more.  FreeWave’s commitment to backward-compatibility provides the utility industry with the support required for long-term installation success. From testing and acceptance to implementation, FreeWave’s team is 100 percent committed to the smart grid’s success. In 2013, FreeWave will announce new distribution automation customers, will be moving into a new, larger facility in Boulder, CO to expand manufacturing and business operations, and also is on schedule to pay out its 36th consecutive bonus payout for its employees. Not only has FreeWave demonstrated value and success since 1993, but 2013 aims to be one of the most successful years in company history, especially with expected growth in DA applications for customers in the smart grid/electric power market. FreeWave Technologies website>>

LumaSense Technologies has a long-standing reputation for providing sensing technology to the energy market with Fiber Optic Temperature for measuring winding hotspots inside transformers for over 30 years and SF6 Lead Detection using Photoacoustic Spectroscopy for over 20 years.  Now four new key technology applications for 2013 are being added to the portfolio: 1) Online Dissolved Gas Analysis (DGA) for transformers and load tap changers called SmartDGA; 2) real-time monitoring of coal-fired boilers using infrared thermal imaging technology called BoilerSpection; 3) real-time continuous monitoring of substation assets through combined infrared imaging and pyrometry technology into the ThermalSpection solution, and 4) data analytics and control system integration software called LumaSpec R/T. LumaSense Technologies website >>

Schneider Electric is positioned to improve the efficiency of mission critical infrastructures - making the grid more efficient, flexible, and secure from control center to customer. Schneider Electric’s recent completion of the Telvent brand integration and partnership with IPKeys demonstrates the company's commitment to enable the smart grid and provide customers with end-to-end solutions that reach beyond the meter. In the coming year, Schneider Electric will move forward with deploying Smart City Solutions for targeted metro areas enabling cities to make needed infrastructure investments funded by cost reduction delivered through optimized, smarter, more efficient infrastructure solutions. Additionally, Schneider Electric will focus on delivering distribution grid automation and energy efficiency solutions for utilities, to improve safety and reliability for their customers and allow them see up-to-date power use and pricing data which enables them to make smarter energy management decisions.  On the residential side, Schneider Electric will place an expanded focus on residential energy management. Schneider Electric website >>

TempoDB will be a 2013 Smart Grid Superstar because they finally allow utilities and enterprises to store ALL of their smart grid measurement data at full resolution forever.  No more downsampling, selective sampling, or throwing data away: TempoDB is the only time series database service for connected devices and smart meter data.  Store as much high resolution (1 ms max) time series data as needed for fast long range historical analysis. TempoDB storage scales automatically and data is never downsampled or archived, so no detail is lost. TempoDB is cloud infrastructure-as-a-service, and does not supply hardware or front end visualizations; it is the backend database purpose-built for the speed and scale of smart meter data and connected devices. TempoDB website >>

Verdeeco is a start-up based in Atlanta which has been quietly accumulating utility clients in 2012.  Six mid-market utilities have signed on to Verdeeco's cloud-based, SAAS data management and analytics platform or Grid-As-A-Service.  Recently, Verdeeco was voted by rural utility representatives as the #1 Vendor to Watch in 2013 at the Rural Smart Grid Summit for the second year in a row.  Verdeeco has been working to build a solid customer base and platform and extend our menu of analytic applications our customers are finding value in.  2013 will be the year that Verdeeco will be hitting the market hard with its message and service.  No hype here, just execution.  Utilities are in production with our Transformer Utilization product and we are working with Georgia Tech University to build a powerful prediction engine to detect approaching thermal failure as well as financial models to redeploy underutilized assets.  Verdeeco website >>

Did you miss any of these?

Part 1: Ambri, Comverge, FirstFuel, S&C Electric, Trilliant, Watt Intelligent Solutions

Part 2: Awesense Wireless, Echelon, GELI, IUS Technologies, Power Analytics, Sensus

Part 3: Belden, DNV KEMA, Enlighted, ISA Sensing, NextStep Electric, Siemens

Part 4: Agentis Energy, Ceiva, EnerNex, HOUZE, On-Ramp Wireless, Petra Systems