According to a recent FierceEnergy article, 15 influential players were highlighted as power players in the 2011 energy industry. The author admits that the list was difficult to narrow to just 15 but these executives have the ear of energy regulators. They lead customers through the often confusing and ever changing world of energy and smart grid. And they shape the discussions we have about energy.

Ron Ambrosio, Global Research Leader, Energy & Utilities Industry, IBM Research

Guido Bartels, General Manager, Global Energy & Utilities Industry, IBM; Chairman, Global Smart Grid Federation

Andres Carvallo, Executive Vice President and Chief Strategy Officer, Proximetry; Co-author of "The Advanced Smart Grid"

John Cooper, President, Ecomergence; Co-author, "The Advanced Smart Grid"

Dick DeBlasio, Principle Laboratory Program Manager for Electricity Programs, National Renewable Energy Laboratory, U.S. DOE

Eric Dresselhuys, Executive Vice President, Silver Spring Networks

Patty Durand, Executive Director, Smart Grid Consumer Collaborative

Connie Durcsak, President and CEO, Utilities Telecom Council

Dave Elve, Vice President, Sensus

Erich Gunther, co-founder and Chief Technology Officer, EnerNex

Lee Krevat, Director of Smart Grid, San Diego Gas & Electric

John Douglas McDonald, Director, Technical Strategy & Policy Development, GE Digital Energy

Ted Reguly, Director of Customer Programs and Assistance, San Diego Gas & Electric

Joaquin Silva, President and Chief Executive Officer, On-Ramp Wireless

Adrian Tuck, Chief Executive Officer, Tendril