P2 Power: The Power Innovation
- Tuesday, December 8, 2009, 7:29
- What according to you is innovation?
For me, innovation is a new way of achieving something. It may be something radical or revolutionary or just incremental in the existing way of thinking, products, processes, or organizations. Looking at common problems from a different perspective leads to innovation. Innovation is when we can monetize our ideas.
- Tell us about your innovation and origin of the idea.
The idea originated during the final year of my graduation at IIT- Kharagpur, as a part of my B Tech project. i-Con is an active power conditioner based on FACTS (Flexible AC Transmission Systems) capable of handling all power quality related issues under a single unit. It is an IGBT based technology controlled through a microprocessor with a response time of 100 micro seconds. It maintains instantaneous power factor of 0.99, a major concern for most industries. Along with the power factor there are other Power Quality like Harmonics, load unbalance and high neutral current, which also affect the performance of the systems, but have never come to limelight, as very limited solutions were available for them. i-Con is an all-in-one solution available at a very competitive price.
- What kind of efforts go into conceptualizing and realizing your innovation?
Although the first step towards any innovation is problem identification and idea generation. The steps thereafter, the process to implement that idea into a prototype and ready to monetize the results achieved are the most difficult.
We need to really focus on our idea, and understand the kind of resources that will be required in order to make your innovation a reality. We need to be very determined through its journey as it will have its ups and downs. We need to make sure that we are not fixed to what we think is best and always listen to all the ideas and feedbacks available to us through others.
- What phase of TUC funding are you in?
Successfully completed Phase 1. Applied for Phase 2
- How did the TUC funding help you?
It helped me in developing the innovation idea into a prototype, and getting successful results. This has brought me a step ahead in making my innovation a reality. Currently, looking forward to Phase 2 funding from TUC, in order to develop the prototype into an industrial product and launch it in the market.
- What are your major strengths as an innovator?
Ability to stay determined and focused through successive failure, which is a part of the development process for the innovation. Ability to foresee the issues that might come and take the requisite actions
- What is one thing, according to you, that is mandatory to realize ones innovation?
Belief in ones idea. Focus and determination to achieve it.
- How will the society benefit from your innovation? And how much society oriented was your innovation?
Our products are highly environmental friendly and are designed to reduce energy consumption and therefore reduce CO2 emissions. Installation of iCon - The universal Power conditioner series, provides an easy and effective way to reduce your electrical failures, and trips and bring down your energy bills, thereby improving your overall efficiency of the system with enhanced Power quality. The enhanced Power Quality helps reduce energy losses both at the distribution level as well as the industrial level.
- What, according to you, are the major obstacles faced by an innovator? Advice to overcome these obstacles.
We need to make sure that we are not fixed to what we think is best and always listen to all the ideas and feedbacks available to us through others. Sustainability is a major requirement for any innovation to sustain through the global cut throat competition. Always make sure that the innovation is backed by a good business plan making it sustainable.
Very useful and innovative products.