The US Army is going to be marching a whole new generation of electronic gear into the field over the next 5 to 10 years, and it will take a whole new generation of high performance, lightweight energy storage devices to keep them powered up. That’s good news for clean energy fans, as new military technology has a way of seeping over to the civilian sphere. With that in mind, let’s take a look at a new $7.2 million battery research program just launched by the Army Research Laboratory.
More Energy Storage For More Gear In 5–10 Years
Why, it seems like only yesterday that CleanTechnica took note of the Army’s big battery headache. That was all the way back in 2011, when the Army relied heavily on disposable batteries for on-the-go energy storage.
The sheer number and weight of batteries weighed heavily on the Army’s mind, but that is only part of the problem. The logistical complications are also nightmarish.
“The military uses at least 100 different types of batteries, which poses challenges for supply and purchasing, shipping and distribution, and disposal in accordance with any applicable environmental regulations,” we observed.
Adding to the hurt is cost. According to the Army Research Laboratory, in 2011 the yearly cost for fielding a battalion’s worth of batteries in Afghanistan was second only to the cost of munitions.
The increased use of rechargeable batteries hasn’t helped much. The Army calculates that batteries still account for 20 pounds of gear needed by each soldier on a 72-hour mission, and more trouble looms ahead as they pile on new and more sophisticated electronics.
For those of you keeping score at home, here’s a partial laundry list to be introduced over the next 5–10 years: “secure tactical radios; goggles with thermal and low-light sensors, rapid target acquisition and aided target identification, augmented reality and artificial intelligence; the next-generation combat rifle; unmanned aircraft systems; counter-IED equipment and more.”
And more!
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