The U.S. Army and the U.S. Navy have started to evaluate a TecLeaf-built solar power system designed to power equipment at military base camps, the Army said Wednesday.Dan Lafontaine writes the Solar Power Shelter System aims to reduce logistics footprint in the battlefield and continuously provide energy at military shelters through the combination of a diesel generator and solar power.
Tom Merrill, renewable energy storage lead at the Army’s product manager force sustainment systems, said the Navy plans to buy two units of SPSS for a project that aims to study the feasibility of such systems in containerized living units.
The Navy will conduct operational field tests at a camp in Djibouti, Africa, in July as part of the evaluation project, according to the report.
“The goal is to minimize generator usage,†said Rich Guiliano, program acquisition specialist with product manager FSS.
“By harvesting alternative energy, we’re able to reduce the amount of energy required from the generators and require fewer fuel convoys to save lives and money,” Guiliano added.
SSPS from Danish firm TecLeaf works to collect and store solar energy through photovoltaic panels and battery on top of a shipping container or military shelter.
