Silver Spring Networks’s CustomerIQ customer engagement solution has recently won the 2011 Smart Grid Excellence Award from SmartGridTMCnet.com, the TMC (News - Alert) and Crossfire Media-sponsored technology media website.

The Smart Grid Excellence Awards recognize outstanding innovation across all facets of smart grid technology.

Silver Spring’s CustomerIQ can translate the vast amounts smart grid data into simple easy-to-understand energy insights delivered via the Web, email, mobile devices or third party, in-home devices. It has the ability to deliver interactive and personalized information in near real-time, to both residential households and commercial businesses in a single integrated solution.

"We owe this honor to our utility clients, partners and employees whose shared vision to ensure the smart grid delivers tangible value to all utility customers has been a key motivator of our product agenda," said Matt Smith, senior director of the demand-side management business at Silver Spring, in a release. "For the first time, utilities using CustomerIQ can now provide their customers deep insights into energy use and costs in their pursuit to improve customer satisfaction and service."

Integrated with the Silver Spring Smart Energy Platform, CustomerIQ can deliver usage information in near real-time. It also offers customers, a timely view of energy usage impacts behavior and empowers them to make more informed decisions about how to use electricity more efficiently.

"The solutions that have been recognized with the Smart Grid Excellence Award reflect the diverse range of innovation driving this market," said Carl Ford (News - Alert), co-founder and community developer, Crossfire.

"Congratulations to Silver Spring Networks, a smart grid technology provider that exemplifies the best of smart grid technologies in 2011."

In related news, Silver Spring Networks announced its selection by Maui Electric Company and the Hawaii Natural Energy Institute at the University of Hawaii for a smart grid project on the island of Maui.