Over the previous three weeks, we have published our long list for the most important people in the manufacturing, policy and financial sectors. This week, it is the turn of the developer/ utilties.
The final decision over the top 30 will be made by a Windpower Monthly panel but, as with last year, readers are able to vote for who they believe is the most powerful person in wind. You can vote for your choice here.
Choose from the long list below of for the most influential players in the developer/utilities division. The final top 30 will be revealed in the November issue of Windpower Monthly.
Martin Billhardt - CEO PNE Wind
A medium-sized developer, PNE has a presence in a number of markets including Germany, US, UK and Turkey with installations around the 1.5GW mark. While other German developers are struggling with the country's legislation, PNE announced a five-fold revenue increase taking it into profit.
Ignacio Galan - CEO Iberdrola
Despite selling a fair proportion of its European wind portfolio, Iberdrola is still one of the largest project owners in the world with pipeline and online projects totalling around 23GW onshore and offshore. While some might say Galan has failed to support wind, especially in the Spanish market, his influence on the sector is hard to dispute.
Mike Garland - CEO Pattern Energy
There are other companies represented here that have installed more MW in more countries than Pattern. However, its position as a leading North American pure-play wind developer, its successful IPO and entrance into Chile has helped put it on the list. Garland himself receives extra points for maintaining a high-profile.
Magnus Hall - CEO of Vattenfall
Hall succeeded Øystein Løseth last month, and now has responsibility for running the Swedish government owned utilitiy. Wind is only 3% of the business, yet it continues to grow its wind portfolio, particularly offshore, and remains one of the top developers in Europe for wind generation. The company claims to have strong ambitions in wind, so the industry will be watching Hall's moves closely.
Ian Mays - Group CEO RES Group
In the business for around 30-years, RES operates around 1.2GW globally, despite being an independent. It has a foothold in countries like the US, UK, France, Portugal and Ireland. More importantly, it is also involved in offshore projects in the UK and France. A previous EWEA president and an engineer by learning.
João Manso Neto - CEO EDP Renovables
Portuguese EDPR is one of the world's largest developers with projects in Europe and the Americas. Neto has been in the role since 2012 and has had to face down the situation in both Spain and the US, which was in the upper end of a PTC-induced boom and bust spurt. Now the company has an avowed policy of building in new markets and consolidating in old ones.
Eddie O'Connor - CEO Mainstream Renewables
O'Connor has been ever-present in the Top 30, last year finishing in 12th place. This year the company has been busiest in Chile and South Africa, picking up around 340MW in the latter. Late last year it brought in Marubeni as a minority investor and announced its own investment arm. Mainstream now has a project pipeline of around 4.1GW, spread around Europe, Africa and Latin America.
Armando Pimentel - CEO NextEra Resources
Pimentel makes the list because NextEra is the biggest owner of wind in the world's second biggest market with 10GW installed in North America. Pimentel has been in the role since 2011, taking over when uncertainty surrounding the extension of the PTC was gathering pace. Since then the company has continued to build up its portfolio with an estimated 1GW pipeline over the next two years.
Michael Polsky - president and CEO Invenergy
Polsky, who has previously worked in the gas sector, founded Invenergy 13 years ago. The company works across other renewables and clean energy markets but wind is its biggest with almost 6GW in installations. Primarily the company scope is limited to North America, principally the US.
Henrik Poulsen - CEO Dong Energy
Last year's number 4, Poulsen's approach to running the Danish utility, and number one owner in offshore wind, seems to be slow and steady. His strategy, seeking minority investors to share the risk of large-scale offshore development, follows that of his predecessor Anders Eldrup. This year, the company has been busy buying Vestas turbines and the 580MW Race Bank, while pulling out of Celtic Array.
Eckhardt Rummler - CEO E.ON Climate and Renewables
This has been an interesting year for E.ON and wind power. E.ON is a global owner of wind power, with projects in countries like the UK, US, Germany and Poland. It is also in offshore, with projects such as Robin Rigg and Scroby Sands.
Francesco Starace - CEO Enel
As with EDPR, Enel is one of those utility developers that is slowly moving away from its home market and into new growth areas, notably Latin America. Starace, who has been CEO of Enel Green Power since 2008 and now CEO of Enel, has overseen much of this strategy. However, the company is also making moves to cut its commitments in the US and France.
Li Enyi - president Longyuan
The biggest developer in the world's biggest market, Longyuan is constantly vying with Iberdrola for the number one spot in wind capacity. Additionally it is a major player in China's offshore market. However, its activities outside of China have been limited. Enyi is relatively new to the role, having taken over from Xie Changyun last year.
