Scroll down for the next six companies nominated for our 2013 Smart Grid Companies to Watch competition. (If you missed the first six, they are linked at the bottom.) Eventually we will get to 13 companies, but for now we're in elimination mode. We received so many thoughtful nominations this year that instead of SGN editors making the first cut as we've done in the past, we're asking you to do it. . How it works: In coming days we'll introduce you in random order to companies that were nominated this year. The only nominations you won't see are those received after the deadline and those that didn't follow the guidelines. .

.

We will run only one nomination per company, even if more than one was received. And in many cases we will provide a condensed version of the nomination since many

With each set of nominations – the playoffs, if you will – you'll have a chance to vote for the company you think most deserves to be in the final round of voting. Once we've featured all of the companies nominated, we'll take the 25 companies that receive the most votes and ask you to decide the final 13 Smart Grid Companies to Watch in 2013.

The second batch of company nominations appear below. If you think one of them deserves to be in the final 25, be sure to vote in the quick poll. Note: Once you have voted the poll data will disappear. Also feel free to use the Talk Back comment form below to lobby on your choice's behalf. And finally, be sure to come back tomorrow to see who else has been nominated.

Awesense Wireless has created a system that helps utilities solve one of the industry’s most persistent problems: unanticipated losses due to theft or equipment failure. Approximately 30 percent of India’s power gets illegally siphoned off. In Brazil, 10,000 new unauthorized connections appear every month. Even in established nations, bill fraud and meter tampering remain far-reaching problems. Unfortunately, utilities have historically lacked economical or practical means to combat the problem, relying instead on warnings, inspections, lock boxes and hope. Awesense changes the paradigm by giving utilities the ability to detect and anticipate problems over wide portions of a service territory through hardware, software and networking. The Awesense system also provides verification, ongoing monitoring and data analysis while minimizing field operations or installed infrastructure. While Awesense has already helped North American customers like Fortis BC and others recover tens of millions of dollars in losses, it has also begun to collaborate with ELO Sistemas Eletronicos to bring the technology to Latin America. Awesense Wireless>>

Echelon -- I have known Echelon for many years and what continues to impress me is its ability to create solid products that resonate well with the smart grid market.  The company combines its history and the current market needs to create the right solution for the needs of today while they are able to scale and expand their products for the future.  They understand standards, trends and customers.  I suggest you all take a good look at Echelon.  Read their case studies. Echelon website>>

GELI -- I really do think that we'll look back on 2013 as the year that the many capabilities and cost of energy storage finally reached the tipping point. GELI will be a big reason why. It's difficult to integrate and operate energy storage. GELI goes above and beyond that to optimize it across multiple value streams such as Demand Charge Management, TOU Energy Shifting, Demand Response -- much more than just backup power -- all in the context of the grid and the broader electricity market. GELI's core IP is what makes storage so compelling from a cost perspective, and its "interoperable by design" architecture ensures that any combination of storage and inverters can be used in virtually any scenario. Few companies are poised to be as disruptive as GELI. GELI website >>

IUS Technologies -- At IUS Technologies, they are innovators. They develop groundbreaking smart sensors ideal for end of line monitoring, which will enable utilities to optimize to a more efficient electric grid. Their VS series of devices are like nothing else on the market today - both the VS 1000 and VS 3000 sensors streamline the use of utility radio bandwidth, reducing communication loads up to 95%, and with up to 0.3% accuracy. Although this in itself saves considerable time, bandwidth and resources - it is the precision, accuracy and cost which make IUS unique. There is no other sensor on the market that provides this level of accuracy with the low cost of ownership. It is this scale which will allow utilities to place sensors approximately every mile as necessary in order to create an extremely stable and reliable grid. Recently launched, IUS Technologies is a subsidiary of the Korean based Vitzro Group and headquartered in Alpharetta, GA. IUS Technologies website >>

Power Analytics -- Continuing on the success of 2012, 2013 will be another banner year for Power Analytics. Power Analytics was just recently selected to provide the first managed cluster of microgrids in a military environment by ESTCP (DoD's environmental technology demonstration and validation program established in 1995 to promote the transfer of innovative technologies that have successfully established proof of concept to field or production use). 2013 will be the beginning of the microgrid cluster concept at three naval bases in San Diego, CA. Under new leadership of CEO Michael J. Nark, an aggressive marketing campaign will branch out into multiple market segments clamoring for smart grid technologies. Power Analytics plans to do even more with strategic partners and technology enabling companies this year. On a technical front, Power Analytics will continue to release enhanced versions of software. Power Analytics website >>

Sensus is leading the way for a NEW smart grid: one for water. In a groundbreaking 2012 survey of more than 180 utilities, Sensus found utilities are losing $9.6 billion each year from leaked water and utilities worldwide can save up to $12.5 billion a year by implementing a smart water network. Sensus continues to lead with products and solutions to meet the crisis head-on and by identifying the opportunity and a path toward a solution to justify the investments by engaging a wide array of stakeholders to safeguard the supply of clean water – including utilities and municipalities, regulators, investors, industry associations, technology providers and academia.Sensus is certainly worth watching in 2013 as the world grapples with how to handle access to water. Sensus website >>

In case you missed it…

.

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