Greenhorns, Green Choices

This article presents reasons behind growth of Princeton Power. Princeton Power derives from a patent for a proprietary technology and a class that inspired students to form their own companies. Its development so far reflects a growing interest in finding better ways to harness alternative energy sources, but at its core, the company represents the desire of four young men to try something new. Originally, Princeton Power planned to build large inverters for the power grid, but the company discovered a fast-growing market for smaller inverters that can convert the output of solar cells and wind generators into usable capacity. Princeton Power focuses on the nuts and bolts of its systems. It is exactly the type of work engineers are trained to do-focus on real problems and solve them. The company has also teamed with Gaia Power Technologies Inc. of New York, to develop controllers for battery backup systems that must interface with the electrical grid. Not only will the systems provide backup power in the event of an outage, but customers can use them to capture electricity at night, when rates are cheaper, and then use the electricity during peak hours when rates are high.