United States Alternative Energy in Military
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The US military needs to re-strategize its approach to energy to become more energy independent. At this point, the military relies on sympathetic locals and the nation’s allies to get the supply of clean water and the energy they require. While this works in most cases, it is not the most reliable strategy for commodities that are so essential to its sustenance as well as success.
They might end up in situations where their allies would not be able to help them even when they would want to. They want to use new technologies that could be helpful in remote environments, and save money on energy. Below are some tools that they are working with:
- Powerfilm, Solar Field Shelters: A company called Powerfilm has developed army tents, which use thin amorphous silicon technology to bring solar power to the tents.
- Military Aviation Biofuel: DOE’s Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) is using the BioFuels program to see how it can reduce reliance on traditional fuel for aircrafts. They are designing bio-aviation fuel which would have about 60% conversion efficiency.
- Efficient in-the-field solar cells: DARPA is working to produce very efficient and inexpensive solar cells. These will be provided to on short field.
- Soldier Solar: The Army is working on creating a solar panel which can be worn by soldiers and used to recharge a vehicle or field generator.
- Army’s Aggressor: This diesel-electric hybrid vehicle is used off-road for ground exploration and scouting.
A few alternative energies have captured the interest of military forces that could help them achieve the energy independence they need if the right approach to research and development can be carried out for these energies. One such area where their interest lies is developing small, portable nuclear reactors to generate electricity. These reactors are very energy efficient and clean burning. These reactors are currently being researched. They could be used in military operations to remove hydrogen from seawater such that they could be used for fuel cells. This would have little negative impact on environment as well. In alternative energy, seawater holds their interest most. It can be used to extract hydrogen, which can power advanced fuel cells. The salt can also be extracted from seawater converting it to desalinated water, ready for drinking and other such uses. These are the two things: hydrogen and potable water that will help military the most when they are in the field and need energy sufficiency.
The core of the nuclear reactor has very high temperatures, as much as 1000 degrees centigrade. When the water-splitting procedure is subjected to this temperature, this ends up being a very efficient way of breaking water down into oxygen and hydrogen. The seawater is subjected to desalination to separate the salts and minerals in it, so we have very clear water that can be subjected to the splitting process. The salts and minerals can be either recycled back into the ocean or put to other commercial uses. The hydrogen thus extracted from the seawater is used in fuel cells for ground vehicles, tanks and airplanes.