Ideal Power Converters won a "National Innovation Award" at the recent TechConnect National Innovation Conference near Washington, D.C. This private company's 3-Port Hybrid Converter reduces costs and improves the efficiency of systems that integrate photovoltaic, grid-storage, and electric-vehicle charging.

IPC believes its technology can disrupt traditional products offered by ABB (ABB +1.74%) and Eaton (ETN +0.94%). Our roving reporter Rex Moore caught up with IPC CEO Paul Bundschuh at the conference, and chatted about electric vehicles, and combining grid storage with photovoltaic technology.