The World's Top Ten Clean Technology Companies

Silver Springs Networks

Silver Springs was included in the Cleantech Group's 2011 and 2012 list of Top 100 Clean Tech Companies

Silver Springs Networks provides smart grid products from its headquarters in Redwood, California with additional offices in Australia and Brazil. The company develops software for utilities and individual customers to improve efficient distribution and use of power. They also develop devices for communication for the same markets.

Silver Springs Background

This company had its start in Milwaukee, Wisconsin in 2002 with a different name and an angel investor. The street of the original office became the name of the company until its relocation to Redwood, California in 2003. Foundation Capital gave the company an $8 million infusion. Over time, Northgate Capital, Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers and Google also became investors.

Pacific Gas and Electric Company began supplying the smart meters in 2008. This was the result of a 2007 agreement between Florida Power & Light and Silver Springs Network. Speculation about the future of Silver Springs began to spread when Cisco Systems emerged as a possible buyer. However, Cisco did invest in Grid Net, a rival of Silver Springs Networks.

Workforce Behind Silver Springs

There are some things that Silver Springs Networks considers sacred information, which they do not divulge. One of those happens to be the size of their workforce and its countries of origin. The median salary is $99,848 and their Software Engineers average $90,616. At this moment, 100 positions are open and available for viewing on their website.

However, analysts have done comparatives a found five companies with close similarities to Silver Springs Networks. The list includes:

  • Tribal DDB Worldwide has company headquarters in New York City.
  • GeoEye has a main office in Herndon, Virginia.
  • Otelco Inc is an Oneonta, Alabama native.
  • Nexus IS has its main location in Valencia, California.
  • Stoke, Inc has company headquarters in Santa Clara, California.

Two companies have no openings available: Tribal DDB and Otelco Inc. Between the three remaining companies, there are a total of 63 positions waiting for new workers. This comparison is closest someone can come to a birds' eye view into facts, figures, information and workforce of the Silver Springs Network and partners.

Unified Smart Energy Platform

When a company sets out to develop a smart grid, it needs products, services and the assistance of considerable number of technology contributors capable of integrating supplies according to industry standards. These open industry standards for energy networks had Silver Spring as an early pioneer for smooth delivery of service and communications. Uniform standards allow support of various hardware and software, which gives consumers a choice of solutions and allows them access to the benefits of innovative technology.

Silver Spring has a Smart Energy Platform with a sound foundation and reliable group of suppliers and software, which sustains their own devices as well as third-party devices. They are able to transfer and service all elements to provide enhanced and successful metering, automatic delivery and on-demand management proposals. Their hardware includes:

  • Metering devices that facilitate connections to third-party power and gas gauges heading toward a consumer home or business
  • DA devices for next generation communication equipment and those connections to it allowing services to upgrade grid reliability
  • In-home devices like temperature sensors, mechanical switches and EV charging stations to help customers independently supervise the use of power
  • System infrastructure such as grid routers and signal repeaters allowing any network the ability to provide grid devices efficiently and within budget.

Silver Spring Networks offers software for four different applications:

  • Utility IQ applications - helping meter management, detecting outages, responding to power demand and monitoring voltage
  • Customer IQ consumer engagement - access to an energy web portal, emails and printed reports with a mobile phone, which is a help to the consumer who needs to understand energy use and control it
  • SilverLink cloud services - knowledge is power and Silver Spring provides analysis of performance in real time along with monitoring and applying alert potentials across the entire grid
  • GridScape management software - configures, secures and manages all devices on the company network

Each of these brilliant treatments permits a variety of devices to obtain service on this network whilst still surviving and expanding. With each success, news of the accomplishment helps educate the consumer population as to the possibilities of environmental preservation and energy conservation.

Serving Needs Around the World

Silver Spring Networks has a remarkable group of customers around the globe. They are true innovators when they begin to arrange their smart grids. By bringing energy effective products to these clients, this company can revolutionize methods of client interaction via the Smart Energy Platforms.

From the start of involvement with Silver Spring Networks, the company forms a bond with employees who are familiar, knowledgeable and adept at getting the smart grid solution up and running as rapidly as they can. Silver Springs has launched - and made operational - their smart grid solution for small and large utilities as well as private and public power - in both the United States and internationally.

The Next Big Thing

Each year, Silver Spring Networks has made an enhancement through partnership with additional utilities. Through this process, they hope to make a lasting impression on worldwide energy consumption, increase efficiency of the grid and encourage consumers to track their use of energy, water and gas. Independent tracking leads to reduction in use.

Silver Spring created its first curriculum with the primary focus on its smart grid. This is one of the initial global education programs to increase smart energy awareness and understanding. The goal is to prepare the next generation for utilization of the smart grid and its benefits.

For More Information

For those who are ready to experience the benefits of innovation, the most important first contact is with the headquarters of Silver Spring Networks. They can be reached through the following methods:

Corporate Headquarters:
Silver Spring Networks
555 Broadway Street
Redwood City, CA 94063
1-866-204-0200 toll free
1-866-776-0015 fax toll free
info@silverspringnet.com

Global Contacts:
Silver Spring Australia Silver Spring Brazil
Level 25, 360 Collins Street AV. Dr. Chucri Zaidan 940-
Melbourne Vic 3000 Australia Torre 2 - 16th floor - Suite 06
ABN: 65 132 6288 258 Sao Paulo - SP - CEP 04583-906
61 3 9236 5222 phone 55 11 5095 3444 phone
61 3 9236 5299 fax 55 11 5095 3499 fax
info@silverspringnet.com