Newer batteries (top) and better management of systems such as mobile generators (bottom) contribute to the efficient use of energy
Because fossil fuels are scarce and costly, the military is looking for alternatives to current methods of supplying power to their theaters of war (theater of operations) bases and equipment. Let's see how industry is driving innovation in this area
"Since 2001, in Iraq and Afghanistan, more than 3,000 US soldiers and contractors have lost their lives or been injured in attacks on fuel and water supply convoys," Defense Department statistics said.
However, a 10% reduction in fuel consumption over five years would have saved the lives and health of 35 soldiers from the fuel supply convoys over the same period; this data is taken from a study by the auditing company Deloitte, published in 2009. At the moment, no data has been provided for the 2009-2014 period on losses associated with water and fuel supply towers.
Previously, it was estimated that there was one wounded or killed in each of the 24 fuel convoys. For example, in 2007, in Iraq and Afghanistan alone, the US army conducted 6,030 fuel convoys. This led to a new bill introduced to the Senate this year, the Department of Defense's Energy Security Act 2014, which aims to help military operations become more energy efficient and rely less on fossil fuels.
The goal is not only to save money on the Pentagon's budget, but also to reduce the need for fuel convoys and, ultimately, reduce the risks to military personnel.
The US Department of Defense is currently the single largest consumer of fuel, requiring about 90 million barrels of oil at a cost of nearly $ 15 billion a year. 75% of this amount goes to meet the needs of the active forces, and by 2025 it is planned to increase it by 11%.
Collaboration
Not only the United States has paid serious attention not only to fuel efficiency, but also to the so-called “smart energy”. In 2012, NATO established a working group to identify the most promising energy-saving solutions and initiate multinational projects to coordinate them. NATO also considered the possibility of integrating the concept of smart energy into the documents defining the strategy and standards of the alliance.
Following a meeting in May 2012, the SENT (Smart Energy Team) was established and is funded under the NATO Science for Peace and Security Program. The group is managed by the Lithuanian NATO Energy Security Center and the Joint Environment Department of the Swedish Armed Forces. The team consists of experts from eight countries, including six Allies (Canada, Germany, Lithuania, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom and the United States) and two partners (Australia and Sweden).
“We want soldiers and commanders to understand that energy savings have a direct impact on the safety and lives of soldiers,” said Susan Michaelis, a smart energy officer at NATO headquarters. "It frees up resources for NATO's core mission, which is currently focused on protecting fuel convoys."
She added that SENT is considering NATO standardization agreements on “smart energy, which should include the installation of smart meters in existing military camps; general design of future camps; training and participation of experts; general training included in general military training; and a reward scheme for officers who have succeeded in reducing fuel consumption."
Full overhead
The US and NATO military have performed so-called fully burdened cost of fuel (FBCF) calculations, which take into account all operational factors in the energy supply chain, including transportation, infrastructure, human resources, maintenance, security and energy storage.
Therefore, one gallon (3.785 liters) of fuel costing up to $ 3.50 per gallon (77 cents per liter) in a US well (77 cents per liter) can reach over $ 100 per gallon ($ 22 per liter) after being delivered to front line to northeastern Afghanistan.
According to these calculations, alternative energy sources and smart energy solutions, which cannot be financially competitive in everyday life due to their high initial capital costs, are increasingly justified on the battlefield.
Earl Energy President Doug Morehead said, "To be honest, when you start paying $ 15 per gallon, a lot of the new technology makes sense."
Indeed, if a combined solar and backup energy storage system is uneconomical for home and everyday life, then it is invaluable when deployed in the military, especially when you look at it with all the components in the FBCF.
In June 2013, during the Capable Logistician 2013 NATO exercise in Slovakia, the Dutch army demonstrated a tent covered with solar cells. The army has already installed 480 square meters of solar panels in Mazar-i-Sharif in Afghanistan, which currently generate 200 kWh. According to an energy expert in the Dutch army, Lieutenant Colonel Harm Renes, "the investment has already paid off."
In line with trends
The U. S. Department of Defense hosts an annual Defense Energy Technology Challenge (DETC) to stay on top of the latest smart energy trends and select those that can be moved forward to help the military significantly reduce its dependence on fossil fuel. The Pentagon has allocated $ 9 billion for energy efficiency programs for 2013-2017.
In November 2013, Sierra Energy with its FastOx power plant was selected as the winner of the 2013 DETC competition held as part of the annual defense energy meeting.
Sierra Energy President Mike Hart said: “The US military has a directorate dedicated to waste management and fossil fuel dependency reduction because it makes them strategically vulnerable. A solution capable of generating its own energy has a significant impact on several aspects, including increased safety, independence and environmental sustainability."
“Our waste-to-fuel technology was identified as a key technology in 2009 and therefore the Defense Department's Renewable Energy Test Center put it on its priority list. In some cases, when processing 10 tons of waste, we can generate about 500 kWh of electricity without disrupting its supply."
FastOx plant from Sierra Energy
Non-leaching slag
This technology in a nutshell. Oxygen and steam are injected, heating the waste to 2200 ° C (no combustion); this allows any material to be used as long as it contains carbon. Any residual metals, ash or inorganic substances are melted into a liquid, which is drained to the bottom, allowing the metals to be recovered. The remainder comes out as unleached slag that can be used for paving. The two generated gases (70% carbon monoxide and 30% hydrogen) go to fuel cells, which only release heat and water.
“This modular system can be dropped in any area,” Hart said. The system is currently being refined to be packaged in six to seven standard ISO containers for quick and easy deployment.
Fuel cell technology is likely to be the preferred option to replace diesel generators in the field, especially in smaller units. The German Institute for Chemical Technology Fraunhofer is developing a portable hydrogen fuel cell for the German armed forces that is silently capable of generating 2 kW of electricity. The system uses solar energy to split water into oxygen and hydrogen.
However, Chris Andrews, project manager at Australian independent power generation company Eniquest, commented on the widespread interest in alternative fuel systems and the increased use of renewable energy:, the strength and predictability of supply outweighs the benefits of reducing fossil fuel use."
Eniquest supplies the Afghan army with a variety of silent generators and AC and DC power distribution stations. Andrews commented, "Improvements in technology, especially in energy storage / battery technology that can rival fossil fuel specific energy, will be important in moving away from fossil fuel use in military applications."
Immediate goals
While the focus may be on phasing out dependence on fossil fuels in the medium to long term, the immediate goal is to significantly reduce its use through a variety of methods.
One of the approaches is to increase the efficiency of generators already in theaters. Earl Energy recently contracted with the Department of Defense for its Mobile Electric Hybrid Power Systems (MEHPS) program, which could lead to the purchase of about 50 FlexGen units. System technology was previously adopted by the Marine Corps, which tested a 6 kW prototype in operation in 2010. Then it was announced that this technology will reduce fuel consumption on the battlefield by more than 80%.
During testing in Afghanistan, the Earl Energy FlexGen system allowed generators to run three to six hours a day instead of 24/7.
“It was a reflection of how inefficient energy production on the battlefield is now matched by all the technology we have,” said Morehead. “Grids are tailored for peak power generation as the military should never be allowed to lack the available power to support their operations. And the same, unfortunately, applies to a system such as a generator. They work in this operational space around the clock, 365 days a year, regardless of whether they need energy or not. It's like a car that you never turn off, even when you are not using it."
The FlexGen hybrid system uses an automated diesel generator with start-stop capabilities, which is combined with renewable energy sources and a large energy storage device. The generator runs at full capacity, and when overpowered, it charges the batteries. If the batteries are sufficiently charged to cope with the electricity consumption, then the generator will shut down. During testing in Afghanistan, the system allowed generators to run for three to six hours a day with an average fuel efficiency of over 50%.
Earl Energy is currently the primary contractor for the Marine Corps and is developing the next generation 10 kW portable power system. The company sold 12 test systems; in the future, new contracts provide for the purchase of up to 50 FlexGen systems.
Energy supply is improving
The British Department of Defense has Power FOB, an intelligent energy storage and management system that enables the introduction of renewable sources and energy-saving technologies. The system allows you to save up to 30% of fuel due to the accumulation of energy generated by diesel generators and solar panels, and redistribute it at the right time to the right consumers.
All of these technologies rely on advanced battery solutions for energy storage; in this case, renewable energy sources can become truly deployable.
Morehead added: “The soldier's daily kilowatt-hour requirement is constantly increasing as he carries more energy consumers than ever before. The modern soldier needs 10 times more energy than 15 years ago."
The British company Lincad manufactures a line of intelligent Lithium Ion Power Source (LIPS) batteries. Its LIPS 5 model became the most successful in the company's catalog; more than 17,500 units have been supplied to the British Department of Defense and other customers around the world. As one company executive commented: “The first LIPS battery was released in 2000, weighed approximately 3.5 kg and had a capacity of 12 Ah. The newest LIPS 10 weighs the same but has a capacity of 23 Ah, dramatically reducing the logistics burden on the soldier."
In addition to supplying durable rechargeable batteries, Lincad also manufactures a line of battery chargers. A company spokesperson said, “In recent years, solar energy storage technology has developed rapidly, and hence the Solar Charger and Power Scavenger solutions from Lincad. There was also a need for mobile charging from cars while driving. The vehicles are already generating power from their generators and this is implemented in the Lincad DC Vehicle Charger. The advent of these chargers means that users do not need to carry a lot of batteries."
Soldiers sometimes carry up to 10 kg of batteries that need to be recharged, and the large capacity of the batteries and flexible charging solutions reduce the need to return to base, which can positively affect the fulfillment of a combat mission.
