Diesel generators provide backup power when grid electricity is unavailable, but their fuel requirements can rise substantially with generator size and load. Caterpillar’s 16 kW XQ20 rental generator, for example, consumes 3.1 litres of diesel per hour at 50% load and 5.7 litres per hour at full load. For comparison, its 500 kVA C15 generator consumes 53.8 litres per hour at 50% standby load and 100.9 litres per hour at full standby load.
Fuel consumption isn’t the only concern. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency lists particulate matter (PM), nitrogen oxides (NOx), and carbon monoxide (CO) among pollutants found in diesel exhaust.
Quintinno Labs is developing portable, high-power battery systems for short-duration backup in locations without dependable grid electricity.
To better understand how they are doing it, we spoke to Divasjyoti Parashar, Founder of Quintinno Labs. This article contains notable highlights from our entire conversation.
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This interview is part of our exclusive Scouted By GreyB series. Here, we speak with the founders of innovative startups to understand how their solutions address critical industry challenges and help ensure compliance with industry and government regulations.
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“People are going to transition from diesel generators to battery-based solutions, especially where… the power backup requirement is three hours, four hours, five hours.“
— Divasjyoti Parashar
Divasjyoti Parashar is the founder of Quintinno Labs.
Born and raised in Guwahati, Assam. He completed a BSc (Hons.) in Physics at Ashoka University in 2021, then spent a year doing academic research on climate and geophysics. He started Quintinno Labs in 2023.Â
Under his leadership, Quintinno has raised INR 65 lakh in equity-free grants from Emergent Ventures, Cummins CSR, and the Government of India. He also secured pilot interest from the Assam government’s disaster management department and the Indian Army.
Quintinno Labs Addresses the Need for Portable, Short-Duration Backup PowerÂ
Quintinno Labs develops compact, battery-powered portable power stations as an alternative to diesel generators. The systems can be charged using solar power and are intended for backup electricity during outages or for use in remote locations.
The product was initially developed as a portable power bank for electric vehicles but was later adapted for broader backup power applications in response to gaps in electricity infrastructure.Â
Rather than offering another battery pack, the company focuses on delivering high-power output in a portable form factor while ensuring safety, durability, and flexibility across industries.
By replacing diesel-based backup systems with cleaner energy storage, Quintinno aims to improve energy resilience while reducing emissions and operating costs..Â
Your company originally started with a different vision. What led you to pivot toward replacing diesel generators?
Diwas: We originally began with the idea of creating a portable power bank for electric vehicles. The motivation came from wanting to support EV adoption by reducing range anxiety. We believed that if people could carry backup power for their vehicles, they would feel more confident transitioning away from petrol and diesel.
As we developed the technology, we realized the same product could solve a much bigger problem. India experiences several hours of power outages every day, and many industries still depend on diesel generators. Rather than limiting ourselves to EV charging, we repositioned the product as a clean, portable backup power solution capable of serving businesses, construction sites, remote operations, and many other applications.
What makes Quintinno’s technology different from conventional battery backup systems?
Diwas: Our biggest engineering challenge was achieving high power output while keeping the system compact and portable. Battery technology itself is well established, but packaging it into a solution that can safely deliver large amounts of power without becoming bulky required significant innovation.
We also focused heavily on power electronics, thermal management, and intelligent control systems. Whether the unit is used on a construction site, inside a vehicle, or for remote deployments, it needs to remain portable while maintaining consistent performance and reliability. That balance between portability and power is what differentiates our solution.
How do you ensure safety and reliable performance during operation?
Diwas: Battery systems naturally raise questions about safety, particularly when handling fluctuating electrical loads. We’ve built multiple layers of protection into both the hardware and firmware. Whenever abnormal power conditions occur, the system can detect them and disconnect safely before damage happens.
Every deployment also involves understanding the customer’s specific power requirements. Backup duration, equipment compatibility, and operating conditions vary from one application to another, so we work closely with customers to configure systems that match their actual usage rather than offering a one-size-fits-all solution.
What challenges have you faced while commercializing the product?
Diwas: One of the biggest challenges is building customer confidence in a completely new category of product. Diesel generators have been around for decades, so customers naturally ask about reliability, servicing, and long-term performance before making the switch.
We’ve addressed that by validating the technology through real deployments. Delivering our first commercial unit was an important milestone because it allows customers to see the product operating in real environments. As more deployments happen, we expect confidence in battery-based backup systems to continue growing.
How do you protect your technology while continuing to innovate?
Diwas: We’ve filed patent applications to protect our core innovations, but I don’t believe patents alone create lasting competitive advantage. Companies can often work around patents, so real defensibility comes from executing quickly, continuously improving the technology, and staying close to customer needs.
We’re also building strong relationships with government organizations and large corporations. As we enter new industries, every deployment teaches us something new and leads to additional product improvements and intellectual property. Moving fast and solving customer problems effectively is ultimately our strongest competitive advantage.
What are your expansion plans moving forward?
Diwas: We’ve now moved beyond laboratory development and delivered our first commercial system. The immediate focus is scaling deployments across different sectors where reliable backup power is critical. We’re already engaging with government organizations as well as large enterprises, which gives us opportunities to tailor the product for industry-specific applications.
As we expand into new markets, we’ll continue refining the technology based on customer feedback while building a stronger distribution network. Our long-term goal is to make clean, portable energy storage a practical replacement for diesel generators across multiple industries.
Meet our Interviewer – Shabaz Khan, Marketing Manager at GreyB
Shabaz Khan, Marketing Manager
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