[Update: I heard last night from a friend and DOE insider that Steve Chu is on the short short list.]

From Washington Post blog yesterday:

The names still in the mix for Energy Secretary, according to well informed senior Democrats include: Govs. Kathleen Sebelius (D-Kans.), Arnold Schwarzenegger (R-Calif.), Bill Rittter (D-Colo.) andJennifer Granholm (D-Mich.), Sen. Jeff Bingaman (N.M), Google’s Dan Reicher, Duke Energy CEO Jim Rogers, former Edison International CEO John Bryson, Federal Express Chairman Fred Smith and Steve Chu, the director of the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory.

And, from Reuters last Wed:

U.S. Sen. Jeff Bingaman, Democrat of New Mexico, chairman of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee. He advocates renewable energy and energy efficiency measures.
Wesley Clark, retired Army general and former NATO commander who ran unsuccessfully for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2004.
General Electric Co Chief Executive Jeff Immelt, who says government investment in environmental technologies can create green jobs.
Ray Mabus, former Democratic Governor of Mississippi and U.S. ambassador to Saudi Arabia, the world’s biggest oil producer. He served as a senior adviser to the Obama campaign.
U.S. Rep. Ed Markey, Democrat of Massachusetts, chairman of the House Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming. A long-time critic of OPEC and nuclear power, he supported higher fuel economy standards for cars and trucks.
Dan Reicher, director of climate change and energy initiatives at Google.org. A former assistant energy secretary under President Bill Clinton, he wants more U.S. electricity generated by renewable sources and promotes plug-in vehicles.
Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell, a Democrat who has called for a $850 million state Energy Independence Fund to invest in clean energy projects and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Montana Gov. Brian Schweitzer, a Democrat who is a big promoter of developing liquid fuel from coal.
Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius, a Democrat who fought efforts to allow a coal-fired power plant to expand in her state, saying it would spew more greenhouse gas emissions.

Personally, I am rooting for those with an energy industry and/or technology background with vision/ability to break out of old patterns.