Adaptor powers graduate to top prize

An energy saving mains adaptor has won one of the UK's most prestigious awards for business performance.

An energy saving mains adaptor has earned a company founded by a Nottingham Trent University graduate one of the UK's most prestigious awards for business performance.

OneClick Technologies, founded by graduate Peter Robertson, has received the Queen's Award for Enterprise: Innovation 2008.

Robertson developed the idea for the IntelliPlug - which cuts electricity usage on consumer electronics - while studying for a Masters of Business Administration at the university's business school.

Peripherals such as printers, scanners and speakers are plugged into the device, which determines whether a unit is on or off and switches power to and from the peripheral equipment accordingly - meaning no more wasted energy.

Robertson said: 'We are so proud of this award, it is a real honour to have won with such a simple yet effective product. An ever-growing number of household appliances are invariably left on standby and it is costing us the earth.

'As well as dramatically cutting energy usage, the IntelliPlug will guard against potentially damaging power surges and extend the working life of a home electronic product.'