We're making our way through the list of companies SGN readers have nominated as 2013 Companies to Watch. Scroll down to see which six nominees are featured in today's installment – Part 6 -- and then vote in our daily poll to help decide which companies will make it into the next round as we work our way toward 13 in 2013. (Once you've voted the poll data will disappear.) And if you missed previous installments, they are linked at the bottom of the page. How it works: Readers nominated companies they think should be on our radar in 2013 -- .

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companies with the potential to be this year's smart grid superstars. We are presenting six reader nominations each day - along with daily quick polls - until we

Note: In many cases what you see below is a condensed version of the nomination that was sent in since many folks had trouble limiting their nominations to a single paragraph. You should also know that we have not verified the accuracy of information contained in nominations.

Here are our next six nominees:

ENBALA Power Networks leads the way to a modern grid by enabling large electricity users to transform electricity consumption into revenue without compromising productivity. ENBALA has an innovative approach in using process storage found in demand-side loads (large energy users) to balance the real-time needs of the grid. In 2013, ENBALA will expand its market and partner with Vertically Integrated Utilities (VIUs) to offer solutions to increase generator efficiency and integrate wind into their local grid. ENBALA also plans to provide multiple service offerings through the ENBALA Storage Network. ENBALA’s platform is positioned to offer a variety of demand-side management programs to support the modernization of the smart grid such as; distribution relief, primary frequency response, local voltage/VAR control, ramp products and sync reserve. ENBALA Power Networks website>>

Ezenics, a global, continuous automated commissioning and energy management company, is poised to have its finest year yet in 2013.  Already working with Milano Malpensa and Roma Fiumicino, the busiest airport in Italy, Ezenics will continue its automated fault detection and diagnostic (AFDD) work through the CASCADE project, working towards a 20% reduction in energy consumption and CO2 emissions at EU-27 airports.  Ezenics is also rolling out its peak demand management solution that maximizes peak load savings on the energy bill and demand response incentives through automated dynamic curtailment strategies which take into account AFDD results.  Through work with Nexant and a large California utility, Ezenics is also participating in the Enhanced Retrocommissioning Program. With business growing through current clients like Target, partnerships with Accenture and Microsoft, plus work beginning in Q1 with one of the world's largest electronics manufacturers, Ezenics has plans to make a big impact in 2013. Ezenics website>>

PayGo - I think that 2013 will be a year where we need to continue to win customer acceptance for smart grid investments. PayGo systems provide customers with more control over their energy usage, increased payment options and both the ability and the tools to reduce energy consumption. PayGo provides integrated payment solutions leveraging smart meter deployments through cloud-based applications; applications which enable prepay and postpaid meter to cash services and patent pending technologies leveraging the increasing distributed “real time” intelligence capability of today's smart meters. For the utility, PayGo solutions leverage existing investments in smart grid, provide a strong business case (both operational benefits and cost reductions), true meter to cash solutions and a technology platform for future applications. PayGo website >>

Spirae of Fort Collins Colorado continues to lead the pack with innovative smart grid technologies, now including smart cities. Already well-known for its work on the Danish Cell Controller Project (utility-scale microgrid) and the Fort Collins RDSI project (reducing peak load by controlling distributed energy resources), Spirae is again at the forefront with its smart cities work in Denmark. Spirae is the technology provider in the consortium leading the Smart City Kalundborg effort to transform the business models of smart cities and create an open market for energy services. Spirae is a company to watch for 2013, not because of its technology, which is leading edge, but because it is enabling transformative business models that will move the smart grid beyond pilots and into the mainstream. Spirae website >>

Tantalus is a smart grid communications provider offering an on-ramp to the smart grid for the public power utility market. By providing one of the most reliable, scalable and flexible AMI networks on the market, Tantalus has steadily increased its utility customers year over year -- positioning itself as the leader in the municipal and cooperative utility market. The company’s rapid revenue growth has landed it spots on the Deloitte Canada Fast 50 and Fast 500 lists for three consecutive years. In 2011, Tantalus signed a significant operational partnership with Itron to combine Itron’s electricity meters and ERT modules with Tantalus’ AMI network – giving Tantalus an inroad to Itron’s nearly 40 million electricity meters in the field. Together, Tantalus and Itron have already secured a number of joint customers, with many more in the pipeline for the coming year. Furthermore, the partnership brings Tantalus onto the international stage – in fact, Tantalus will soon announce its first international customer, with more to come in 2013. Tantalus website >>

Ventyx -- Over the past 12 months, we’ve witnessed significant – and growing – momentum in the adoption of Ventyx’s smart grid solutions worldwide.  For example, a $7 million deal inked with Eskom – Africa's biggest electricity supplier – will be the largest implementation of Ventyx’s SCADA/DMS solutions in that country.  Other significant multimillion-dollar deals include the grid-reliability project at the Dubai Airport, the rehabilitation of power distribution networks in Iraq, and important new programs with utilities across Latin America.  IDC Energy Insights named Ventyx a leader in the North American DMS market. Said IDC, "Ventyx has been at the forefront of integrating IT and operations technology, which allows its customers to extract greater value across these normally segregated systems...” Other noteworthy developments include the appointment of 33-year software veteran Jeff Ray as Ventyx CEO, as well as ABB’s acquisition of wireless network provider Tropos. The combination of technology breadth and strength, broad vision and management expertise certainly make ABB+Ventyx a company worth watching in 2013. Ventyx website >>

Did you miss any of these?

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

Part 2: Awesense Wireless, Echelon, GELI, IUS Technologies, Power Analytics, Sensus

Part 3: Belden, DNV KEMA, Enlighted, ISA Sensing, NextStep Electric, Siemens

Part 4: Agentis Energy, Ceiva, EnerNex, HOUZE, On-Ramp Wireless, Petra Systems

Part 5: BuildingIQ, FreeWave Technologies, LumaSense Technologies, Schneider Electric, TempoDB, Verdeeco