Silver Spring Networks brings SunPower CEO on board

Redwood City, Calif.-based Silver Spring Networks said it added a new and important solar leader to its board of directors today.

Tom Werner, CEO of San Jose-based SunPower (Nasdaq: SPWR), is expected to lend his influence in the renewable energy industry to Silver Spring Networks, a smart grid networking solutions company. SunPower is America's leading maker of crystalline silicon solar panels.

As SunPower’s CEO since June 2003, Werner has helped direct the company in developing high-efficiency solar solutions for homes, businesses, commercial buildings and utility-scale power plants worldwide. The company faced a challenging first quarter of 2009 amid the credit crunch and weak economy (see Analysts slam SunPower after unexpected 1Q loss).

Before joining SunPower, Werner was CEO of Silicon Light Machines, an optical solutions subsidiary of Cypress Semiconductor and previously vice president and general manager of the Business Connectivity Group at 3Com, a network solutions company.

“SunPower is a true leader in solar energy solutions and we are very pleased to have Tom’s industry perspective,” said Scott Lang, CEO of Silver Spring Networks, in a news release.

Silver Spring Networks’ technology gives utilities the ability to measure and monitor every device on the grid that transmits and consumes energy.

“This is vital to the safe, effective integration of solar and other types of renewable energy into our nation’s electric grid,” Werner said in the release.

Silver Spring plans to begin rolling out the first international deployment of its smart grid technology as of Sept. 1 with two Australian utilities (see Silver Spring corrals currents in Australian smart grid).

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