DOD Energy Use

Two interesting wind technologies for the US Military

2008-12-05T20:48:00.000-08:00

520H Aeroturbine is essentially two 510V turbines joined horizontally by a shared alternator. The approximate weight of the 520H is 750 lbs. which includes the alternator. The 520H can be bolted or ballasted down horizontally and, like the 510V, is stackable end-to-end. While the 510V works well in multi-directional winds, the 520H requires a dominant wind direction; for maximum efficiency, the rotational axis of the 520H must be oriented perpendicular to a location’s dominant wind direction. The building must have a special shaped roof, a pitched roof is best for the wind to rise above and flow into the turbines, like a wind ramp (see the Mercy Lakefront project roof detail). Flat roofs will not work because the wind will blow over the turbines instead of into them. The standard 520H Aeroturbine is 9 ft. tall and approximately 21 ft. long end to end.

In order to operate efficiently, Aeroturbines must be building attached and above or away from surrounding trees and other obstructions, and in an area with average wind speeds of at least 15 mph.

All Aeroturbines are designed and custom-built to fit the architecture of the building. Exact costs will depend on project location, number of turbines purchased, and the required mounting method. The 520H Aeroturbine has an estimated cost of $20,000. This price includes the 2 rotors, cages, all the custom mounting structures, and electronic equipment.

http://www.aerotecture.com/products_520H.html

I could see Aerotecture technologies being used on large military buildings. In addition, possible uses on military command posts. There best power outputs would probably be on naval bases, and bases generaly near lakes, and oceans.

General
Annual Energy Production (AEP) 2000 kWh*
Instantaneous Power Rating (IPR) 1.2 kW (1200 watts)*
Standard Unit Height 30 ft | 9.1 m
Total Weight 600 lb | 273 kg
Color Soft Silver
Sound imperceptible @ 10 mph;
8.8dB above ambient @ 50 mph
Warranty 5 year limited warranty

Rotor
Rotor Type Vertical Axis - Low Speed Giromill
Rotor Height; Radius 20 ft | 6.1 m; 2 ft radius | 0.6 m
Swept Area 80 sq ft | 7.43 sq m
Max Rotor Speed 500 RPM*
Peak Tip Speed Ratio 2.8
Speed Control Dual Redundant: passive aerodynamic; electronic
Wind Tracking Instantaneous

Electronics
Generator High Efficiency Brushless Permanent Magnet
Inverter Custom Integrated Grid Tie 120 VAC 60 Hz
Inverter Certification ETL: Meets IEEE 1547.1; UL 1741
Performance Monitor Integrated Wireless Zigbee Modem

Wind Ratings
Cut-in Wind Speed 9 mph | 4 m/s
AEP Average Wind Speed 12 mph | 5.4 m/s
IPR Rated Wind Speed 25 mph |11.2 m/s
Survival Wind Speed 100 mph | 45 m/s

Construction
Foundation Poured Concrete
Foundation Size 2 ft diameter by 6 ft base*
Rotor Material Aircraft Grade Extruded Aluminum
Monopole/Structure Material Recycled High Grade Steel
Coatings Corrosion-resistant industrial grade paint

http://www.mariahpower.com/

Mariah WindSpire technologies could be used in parking lots of military bases, and places that have no operational use. In the future I could see small windspire farms powering entire military bases, in addition solar power could be used to power military plug in electric vehicles.

As a quadropple threat; solarwall, high efficiency solar panels, windspire and aeroturbines could be used in area's with decent sunlight and windspeeds. Therefore providing 3 sources of energy and one great source of heat.

Green Ray Solar Solar Panels and there applications for the US Military

2008-11-20T16:55:00.000-08:00

a simple idea – a solar electric or photovoltaic (PV) module that produces AC power. Simple to install and simple to use, it’s the next appliance for your home.

How is that different?

Today’s PV modules generate DC power. Additional electrical components must be connected to convert this into AC power which can be used by your home or fed to the electric grid. This requires system engineering and time for installation. In comparison, an AC Module is an integrated system which is ready to go. No engineering required.

Why is it better?

Each GreenRay AC Module is an independent building block and achieves higher levels of system optimization than ever before. This leads to the following advantages:

- Reduced design and installation time

- Optimized site performance

- Flexible system size

- Ability to expand your PV system over time

One of the biggest hurdles to solar electricity is the up-front cost. While costs have been dropping, the main emphasis has been on improvements to the PV modules. Modules, however, are only a third of the system cost. GreenRay’s technology focuses on an untouched area of cost reduction – system design and installation which is 40% of the total cost.

http://www.greenraysolar.com/

Nelis Solar Power Plant is the largest solar photovoltaic system in North America,[1] and is located within Nellis Air Force Base in Clark County, Nevada, on the northeast side of Las Vegas. The Nellis solar energy system will generate in excess of 25 million kilowatt-hours of electricity annually and supply more than 25 percent of the power used at the base.[2] The system was inaugurated in a ceremony on December 17, 2007, with Nevada Governor Jim Gibbons activating full operation of the 14 Megawatt array.[3][4]

Occupying 140 acres (0.57 km2) of land leased from the Air Force at the western edge of the base, this ground-mounted solar system employs an advanced sun tracking system, designed and deployed by PowerLight subsidiary of SunPower. The system contains approximately 70,000 solar panels, and the peak power generation capacity of the plant is approximately 14 megawatts.[2] This means the ratio of average to peak output of this plant is around 20%.

The energy generated will support more than 12,000 military and civilians at Nellis who are responsible for Air Force advanced combat training, tactics development and operational testing. Construction began on April 23, 2007,[2] and operation of the first 5 MW began on October 12.[5]

In terms of the Power Purchase Agreement, MMA Renewable Ventures, who own the panels, is leasing the land at no cost and Nellis is agreeing to buy the power for 20 years at about 2.2 cents/kWh, instead of the 9 cents they are paying to Nevada Power, saving the Air Force $1 million each year. None of the $100 million cost came from the Air Force, but instead from subsidizing taxpayers and Nevada Power customers who are paying for the RPS credits.[6]

The partners will be able to build the plant, recover costs and produce electricity at a savings, because of the fairly complex financing structure arranged among MMA, its investors, Nevada Power, and Nellis -- in addition to multimillion-dollar government incentives.[7]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nellis_Solar_Power_Plant

Now think about this Nellis Airbase Power purchase agreement, while they technically invested no upfront money. If they did they could of bought this system on there own for around 60 million dollars! Assuming either greenray solar panels high efficiencies or greenray's AC technology being adapted to sunpowers solar panels. It would also work out to savings of $1,330,000 dollars a year of savings compared to 1 million dollars with the power purchase aggreement.

According to InsideDefense.com, Zilmer’s request singles out the Mobile Power System (MPS) (also knows as transportable hybrid electric power station, or THEPS), a containerized solution built by SkyBuilt Power. THEPS reportedly provides about 5kW of power on average, depending on weather conditions – not a huge amount, but potentially a useful amount for tactical scenarios.

SkyBuilt is an Arlington, VA firm who aims to become “the Dell of renewable energy systems.” Hopefully, this won’t entail the same drama of success, followed by government-subsidized Chinese competitors, but we digress. The firm has received funding from the CIA’s In-Q-Tel, a venture arm set up to fund innovative technologies that could benefit US national security
Comparison of the true costs (capital costs, maintenance, fuel, fuel logistics, etc.) of a 10 kilowatt diesel generator shows that a SkyBuilt Power MPS solar/battery system can cut those costs by at [least 75%] while improving reliability, saving manpower [and] spare parts, reducing or eliminating fuel costs, handling, and logistics, and providing a low heat signature…. The up-front capital costs of a 10 kilowatt diesel generator are around [$7,500-$10,000], much less than a MPS (around $100,000 depending on the configuration), but after only [three to five] years these costs are recovered

http://www.defenseindustrydaily.com/commanders-in-iraq-urgently-request-renewable-power-options-02548/

With AC Solar Panels it would require much less technical information if something went wrong with Skybuilt's system. Therefore reducing or eliminating the need for engineers and spare parts to replace damaged systems.

Solar Wall plus PV is revolutionary!

2008-10-27T09:33:00.000-07:00

"Conserval Engineering originated the concept of combining PV with SolarWall. The goal was to address some of the problems inherent with conventional photovoltaics, and to develop a solution that would further enhance PV as a viable renewable energy solution. Two problems that make PV unattractive are the long payback periods and the low efficiencies. These occur because of the excess heat accumulation on the PV panels. For every 1ºC rise in PV panel temperature, there is a 0.4% - 0.5% drop in the electrical output efficiency, and this is why the concept of “PV cooling” has become so important.

The SolarWall PV thermal (PV/T) co-generation system was recently tested at the Canadian National Solar Test Facility in conjunction with the International Energy Agency Task 35. The results documented that adding a solar thermal component to a PV array boosts the total solar efficiency to over 50%, compared with 10 to 15% efficiency for most PV modules alone. The heat from the PV panels, captured by the SolarWall perforated absorber, was documented to be three times more than the electrical energy generated from the PV modules. This means that by utilizing the excess heat, it becomes possible to realize a solar capture efficiency improvements of up to 200-300%."

http://solarwall.com/en/products/solarwall-pvt.php

Just think of the amazing energy savings for the military! And it gets better when you think of advanced thin film and SUNGRI's technologies. Lets look at Fort Drum whic is currently the largest deployer of SolarWall.

"one of the largest and most extensive solar
air heating projects in the world has now
been completed for the United States Military
base at Fort Drum, in upstate New York.
The project is extremely significant in terms
of the sheer magnitude of energy and CO2
savings, and it shows the tremendous potential
for solar thermal when it is deployed on a
large scale.
In the fall of 2005, the Army Corp of
Engineers at the base commissioned a multimillion
dollar retrofit program to upgrade 27
of their vehicle maintenance buildings.
Conserval Engineering and Conserval
Systems worked closely with the military
base over the two year duration of the
contract in the design and installation of the
SolarWall systems. SolarWall technology
had previously been used at eight other U.S.
military bases.
This project was one of the reasons why the
U.S. Corp of Engineers, in 2006, identified
the SolarWall® system as one of two costeffective
technologies ideally suited for
military buildings, such as vehicle
maintenance garages.
The world’s largest collection of solar air heated buildings is located at Fort Drum, New York.
Project Summary
• 50 SolarWall® heating systems installed on
27 buildings
• 110,000 square feet (10,220 m2) of
SolarWall® panels
• 300,000 cfm (510,000 m3/h) of air heated
with 99 fans
• Projected fuels savings of 44,000 million
BTU/h (46,000 GJ) per year
• 4 MW of thermal energy capacity
• 2,000 tons of CO2 displacement per year"

http://solarwall.com/media/download_gallery/FortDrum-SolarWall.pdf

Now combine nano-solar thin film photovolaics, which have efficiencies of around 15% with all the solar wall installations and you have an energy output of around 12 MW!

Then combine Solar Duct (which would be placed on the roof) with Sungri's solar cells which have efficiencies of about 37%, and you have even more energy produced.

I sent an email to Fort Drum and intend to send more!

Army positioned to save tens of millions of dollars with new mobile cannon system!

2008-04-23T11:28:00.000-07:00

The FCS Non-Line-Of-Sight cannon will help the military not only in lethality,
deployability, and protection but also in fuel savings. Below is a link that
shows the specs of the vehicle that the new cannon system is replacing.

Cruise Range 186 miles
Fuel Capacity 133 gallons

http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/systems/ground/m109-specs.htm

This is the link for the NLOS-C that is replacing the Paladin
Range
30 km/20 miles (objective)
30 km system demonstrator

http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/systems/ground/fcs-nlos-specs.htm

Assuming all of the Paladins are replaced fuel savings could be as high as 24.5 million dollars in four years. My fuel savings calculations come from assumptions, that once I find the data I will hopefully back up. The Paladin has a fuel efficency of about 1.5 miles per gallon assuming every paladin drives 2500 miles yearly, the cost would be 26,664,000 dollars. The NLOS-C vehicle on the other hand has a fuel effiency of 20 miles per gallon, assuming the same amount of driving the costs would add up to 2 million dollars. And this is just for one vehicle! Every vehicle in the FCS Combat Vehicle Program will have a hybrid electric drive system, and those vehicles will be lighter then the cannon, so one could expect greater fuel savings with those vehicles. Another thing that adds to those vehicles potential efficiencies is that battery technology will be much improved by then and they are coming out later then the NLOS-C vehicle therefore lessons learned from the NLOS-C vehicle might go to improvements in the latter released vehicles. And yet another factor that adds to more fuel savings is that a lot of the other vehicles will be procured in greater amounts then the NLOS-C and most likely will have higher op tempos resulting in more fuel savings because they drive more miles per year. I will try and get some more info on the fuel effiency of the other vehicles to see what savings we can expect.

Fort Drum saves money on heating

2008-04-08T09:11:00.000-07:00

The largest collection of solar air heated buildings in the world can now be found at the military base of Fort Drum, in upstate New York. 50 SolarWall systems (totaling over 110,000 ft2) have been installed on 27 military buildings and will collectively generate over 4MW of peak thermal energy.
The project is extremely significant in terms of the sheer magnitude of energy and CO2 savings, and shows the tremendous potential for solar thermal when it is deployed on a large scale.

By using the free energy of the sun - instead of burning fossil fuels for heating purposes - the base will displace over 2,000 tons of carbon dioxide each and every year at one of the coldest locations in the United States. The base is also projected to realize fuel savings of 44 billion BTU/h (46,000 GJ) per year.

The SolarWall air heating system heats the ventilation air that is required in commercial and industrial buildings using a patented transpired solar collector developed by Conserval Engineering. Ventilation heating is typically one of the largest single energy requirements for these types of buildings, which is why solar air heating can generate such significant overall energy savings.

http://www.solardaily.com/reports/4_MW_SolarWall_Installation_Will_Displace_2000_Tons_of_CO2_999.html

One of the SolarWall systems
(4,100 ft2) on Building 91 is
currently being monitored by
NREL (National Renewable Energy
Laboratory). The preliminary
results from one month of
monitoring were calculated as
follows:
• Building 91 @ $0.90 /therm,
• Boiler efficiency 70%
• Solar energy gain - $36/day
• Natural gas savings for the
one SolarWall system for one
month were approximately
$1000

http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/assets/documents/story/2008/Fort%20Drum.pdf

Assuming this is true for every solar wall system installed, their saving about 600,000 dollars a year, which means they will recoup their investment costs in about five years. The website mentions that good places to install this technology are on garages, hangars, warehouses and mainentence facilities. In addition to Fort Drum, eight other bases use this solar wall technology. Its encouraging to see the military thinking green and saving a lot of money in the process. Efforts like and similar to these are key to bringing the military's budget under control. And will only help in lowering our defecit and debt.

Smith Electric Vehicles, possible military applications?

2008-02-04T18:35:00.000-08:00

The Smith Edison offers a payload of 2925 pounds, and a range of 150 miles per charge! I can imagine this vehicle delivering such things as supplies and mail too and around military bases in friendly countries.

http://www.smithelectricvehicles.com/products.asp?p=Edison

The Smith Newton can carry payloads up to 3.5 tons! And has a range of 130 miles per charge! It would be ideal for delivering such things as fuel, and spare parts too and around bases in friendly countries.

http://www.smithelectricvehicles.com/products.asp?p=NT

The Smith Faraday, has a payload of greater then two tons! The great thing about the Faraday is its variety of potential uses, it could be used as a recycling and trash pickup truck, while also having potential to deliver much needed supplies that need refigeration.

http://www.smithelectricvehicles.com/products.asp?p=Faraday

I think the US Military should be investing in such trucks. With modifications these trucks might even be able to operate in combat environements! Therefore saving the military hundreds of millions (if not billions) of dollars a year in transportation costs! And with much fewer parts then conventional diesel delivery trucks, the savings in maintenance costs would be astonishing!

US Air Force, renewable energy for planes program!

2007-07-26T03:33:00.000-07:00

The Air Force Office of Scientific Research here recently awarded the University of Washington and three partner universities a grant worth approximately $6 million over 5 years to study the design of air vehicles capable of collecting and storing solar and heat energies.

One of the goals of the research is to enhance Air Force air vehicle systems but there are many potential applications in other areas such as space platforms

While running air vehicles or space platforms, there are presently three main sources for harvesting energy with non-fossil origins – sunlight, heat, and vibration,” said Dr. B. L. “Les” Lee, program manager at AFOSR’s Aerospace and Material Sciences Directorate. The source of the heat energy, he said, can be aerodynamic heating caused by high flying speed or the recycling of waste heat around an aircraft cabin or engine. Each of the three sources, he explained, is capable of generating electricity, but sunlight and heat energies show the greatest potential in terms of significant power output. As a result, the proposed research will focus primarily on these two energy sources

Researchers will explore a variety of topics concerning materials and micro devices associated with so-called photovoltaic energy – or electricity generated from light sources – and thermoelectric energy – or electricity generated from heat sources. Once fully developed, these systems may one day enable air vehicles to fly solely on solar energy and aerodynamic heat. The systems may also find application in cabin operation on commercial airplanes

http://www.afosr.af.mil/News/nr_2006_29_solarHeatEnergies.htm

This is so awesome! First we use it in unmanned planes, then we use it in small manned planes. And then we just keep on progressing. Even if it didn't soley power an airplane, it could still reduce gas money! Looks like the Air Force is thinking smart now I tell ya. Although the money there allocating is pretty small. Hey you have to start somewhere! And here is the cool thing! If Air Force planes could be electricaly charged eventually. They could run on that for a little bit, intill the solar and thermal energy harvesting systems kicked in! I mean just think how quiet electric cars are, now apply that to a plane. I mean that would probably give a steath advantage of some sort. Another thing it would help with is thermal signature. Electric cars don't give off emmisions, electric planes won't either. And last but not least, the money savings. There will probably be four phases this technology will mature through.

1. Unmanned Aircraft Unmanned aircraft are usually pretty small and don't have half as much power needs as regular manned aircraft. Just think if we could power our unmanned fleet with solar and thermal energy. The money savings for fuel would probably be at least in the tens if not the hundreds of millions of dollars. This technology would also provide us with a potential to keep borders, etc, under surveliance for long periods of time.

2. Small Aircraft An example of a small aircraft would be the F22 Raptor, or JSF. The savings for using no fuel in these aircraft would be in the hundreds if not the billions of dollars.

3. Medium aircraft. The B2 Spirit or B52 bomber would be a medium sized aircraft. The savings for these aircraft would be the same as phase 2.

4. Big Aircraft. The C-130 or the AWACS, or even the JSTAR. Would be in this category. The savings would be on the phase two scale.

Air Force Solar Power Plant!

2007-07-20T07:09:00.000-07:00

The largest solar power plant in North America will soon be providing electricity to an Air Force base in the Nevada desert.
The military says the plant, scheduled to power up at Nellis Air Force Base by the end of the year, shows that solar energy can effectively meet part of the country's energy needs. Despite three decades of development of the technology, solar energy is expensive, requires large amounts of space and taxpayer subsidies, and doesn't work at night or on overcast days.
Nellis, which is outside Las Vegas, is devoting 140 acres to a massive photovoltaic array with panels of silicon wafers that will rotate to follow the sun across the sky and generate electricity.
The plant will be capable of producing 15 megawatts of power, enough to provide 30% of the electric needs on the base, where 12,000 people work and 7,215 people live, Nellis officials say.
The Air Force expects to save $1 million a year in lower electric bills and to use the plant to demonstrate it is boldly advancing the use of renewable energy technology, a commitment of the Bush administration, Ohlemacher says. The Air Force will pay none of the construction costs. Instead, private investors will pay the more than $100 million projected capital cost, anticipating a steady flow of revenue from the Air Force for the electricity and substantial federal tax subsidies.
The project is being built in a complex arrangement between the Air Force and three financial partners:
•SunPower Corp. and its PowerLight subsidiary, California-based solar specialists that will construct the plant.
•MMA Renewable Ventures, a San Francisco company that will attract institutional investors to finance the project and own and operate the plant on land leased by the Air Force.
•Nevada Power, the local power provider, which will indirectly subsidize the Air Force's lower rates through payments to MMA Renewable Ventures.
MMA Renewable Ventures and its investors will take advantage of a 30% federal tax credit that Congress passed in 2005 and expires at the end of this year. Solar advocates are asking Congress for a 10-year extension as a way to keep solar electric economically viable. Investors also can take advantage of accelerated depreciation schedules for solar, an additional tax break, Tomlinson notes.
MMA and its investors will sell solar energy credits generated by the project to Nevada Power. The utility plans to use those credits toward meeting Nevada requirements that it obtain 20% of its power from renewable energy sources by 2015, says Tom Fair, Nevada Power executive for renewable energy. "Our goal is to bring more renewables into the system," Fair says.

http://www.usatoday.com/tech/science/2007-04-17-air-force-solar-power_N.htm

This is one of the most encouraging things I've ever heard about the US Militaries commitment to renewable energy. The only thing I don't like is that the Air Force is not investing its own money into the project. Based off my calculations instead of saving 1 million dollars a year, the air force could be saving 5 to 10 million dollars a year. That would mean payback on the cost of the system would be 10 to 2o years. And they would be actually be saving extra money not going into recouping the cost of the solar program after ten to twenty years. Just think of what they could do with all that extra money! Either way saving money is great if its 10 or 1 million dollars. And with those savings I woulnd't be suprised if they built a solar carport. I'm projecting an increase in commercial solar cell effiency from 22 percent or so to around 30 % in 8 or ten years. With 8 or ten million dollars saved up, coupled with government funding they could build a pretty huge solar carport. The one in San Diego generates around 1.25 megawats a year. And thats only for 446 cars. Just think of what they could do for Nellis Air Force Bases parking lot. They could probably save around a millon dollars a year. And I even had an idea for if they did pay upfront costs. Assuming they saved an average of 8 million dollars a year and put half of that to building a solar car port in ten years they could build a solar carport for the whole base and upgrade the buildings energy effiency. Another interesting possibilty for this base would be geothermal energy or heating. For gosh sakes its in the desert! Another thing that might help is a small wind turbine farm.

Renewable Energy at Guantanamo Naval Base

2007-04-18T14:38:00.000-07:00

Standing 275-foot tall, with blades spanning 177 feet, the Navy's four new 3-blade wind turbines are among the most noticeable features at Naval Station Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. Each of the four turbines will generate 950 kilowatts (kw) of electricity. Together, the four turbines will generate 3,800 kw, and in years of typical weather the wind turbines will produce almost 8 million kilowatt-hours of electricity. They will reduce the consumption of 650,000 gallons of diesel fuel, reduce air pollution by 26 tons of sulfur dioxide and 15 tons of nitrous oxide, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 13 million pounds each year.
The new wind turbines will provide as much as 25% of the base's power generation during the high-wind months of late summer, and are expected to save taxpayers $1.2 million in annual energy costs. The project began in July 2004 and cost nearly $12 million. Construction of the wind energy project was made possible through a partnership between the Navy and NORESCO of Westborough, MA as part of an energy savings performance contract (ESPC).

http://www.defenseindustrydaily.com/2005/04/wind-power-debuts-at-gitmo/

Here is what I am wondering, if four turbines provide 25% of the bases energy in good wind conditions. Then wouldn't 16 wind turbines provide 100% power to the base in good wind conditions?

"Before the wind turbines, Guantanamo Bay spent $31,000 a day -- $24 a minute -- on diesel fuel to run generators around the clock to produce electricity. Since the turbines went into operation about six weeks ago, they have been providing between 5 and 12 percent of the power the base uses.
Johnston noted that spring is the "slack-wind period" and that the turbines would be able to produce more power by July."

http://www.defenselink.mil/news/newsarticle.aspx?id=31070

With 16 turbines, the slack wind period energy for the base would theoretically increase to around 50 %. This would result in substantial energy savings. With say 24 wind turbines in operation it would increase theoretically to 75% in the slack wind period. Another renewable energy source for the base would be solar power. Its a very hot and sunny climate in Guantanamo bay. With enough efficient solar panels they could get the renewable power generation capacity up to 100 percent of the bases energy needs.

Now the interesting part comes when you think of the high wind period beginging in july. Twenty four wind turbines, plus solar power would be more then enough energy in the high wind periods. I now elude to my other post about renewable energy.

http://interesting-views-on-the-us-military.blogspot.com/2007/03/possibilites-for-us-army-continued.html

Pending research, my idea was for the military to use electric powered light utility vehicles for tasks around military bases. The excess of energy could be used to lend power to electric charging stations for light utility vehicles.

Any other excess of energy could be potentialy stored in energy banks.

Interesting bio-fuel idea for the Army

2007-04-14T09:21:00.000-07:00

A so-called “tactical bio-refinery” is another mobile system being pursued to convert field waste to energy. The system, which is built by Defense Life Sciences, McLean, Va., will convert paper, plastic, cardboard and food slop into bio-fuel gas to power a 60 kilowatt generator, Nolan said. The food waste goes into a bioreactor, where industrial yeast ferments it into ethanol, a “green fuel,” according to Purdue University, whose scientists are working with Defense Life Sciences. As an added benefit, the system helps to eliminate much of the waste on the battlefield.
The bio-refinery can save 115 gallons of fuel for every ton of waste converted, Nolan said. The first prototype has already been built and the full system will be ready for demonstration within 12 months, said Jerry Warner, founder of Defense Life Sciences.
On this project, the REF worked with the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency.
Under a separate effort, DARPA is developing a mobile integrated sustainable energy system, or MISER. The idea is to take packaging materials — not garbage — from the field and convert them to generator fuel, which could eventually be used in a fuel cell.
Packaging materials account for a large amount of field waste — more than seven pounds per day per soldier. DARPA aims to reduce the cost and logistical burden of disposing the plastic packaging by harvesting it for energy.
The high-energy content of the plastic packaging — close to that of diesel fuel — makes it an ideal alternative energy source. “At today’s level of packaging being discarded, a military unit could achieve well over 100 percent self-sufficiency for its generator fuel needs,” according to a DARPA document.

http://www.nationaldefensemagazine.org/issues/2007/April/Alternativepower.htm

What I find more interesting is not the bio-fuels use for generator capacity. But its potential use as a fuel for military vehicles. I think we have a great idea for renewable power generators, with SkyBuilts idea. The mobile power station, which looks like a train container with solar cells and wind turbines.

http://www.skybuilt.com/mps.htm

All in all though, i'm glad the military is looking into alternatives.

Possibilites for the US Army continued.

2007-03-26T11:04:00.000-07:00

Pictures of the ZAP Xebra PK Truck.

March 7,2007 After a positive response for its Xebra Xero, electric car pioneer ZAP has designed a solar option for the three-wheeled electric workhorse - a photovoltaic panel that ZAP says can offer short-distance driving on sunlight alone. ZAP intends to showcase the new Xebra Xero (pronounced zebra zero) Truck at up-coming industry events for automotive fleets. The Xebra truck is a city car, available as a 4-door sedan or 2-passenger truck, good for city driving up to 40 mph and will cost about US$12,000 with the Xero Solar Panel Option. The car recharges normally by plugging into a standard 110 volt outlet for a full charge in up to six hours and a 50 percent charge in 1.5 hours. The ZAP Truck converts into a flatbed or dump-bed that can tilt to allow maximum exposure to the sun.
“If the Xebra Xero is exposed to sunlight during the day, and your commute is short, you can get pure solar powered driving,” says ZAP Chairman Gary Starr. “If you want to ensure 100 percent solar generated commuting, you can purchase a larger system that can sit on your rooftop.

http://www.gizmag.com/go/6945/

The potential use for the Xebra truck in the military would be for the national or state guard. I'm thinking of catastrophes such as Katrina or even smaller things such as hurricanes or tornadoes. When conducting humaniterian missions such as bringing food, clothing and water to people who's homes were destroyed. They could use The Xebra truck to transport these things. Its payload capacity as of now is 500 pounds. With research and development it could also serve as a miltiary base transport, transporting munitions, fuel, spare parts, etc to anywere on a base. Of course it would have to be worked on to get its payload capacity larger.

Interesting possibilites for the Army

2007-03-19T11:08:00.000-07:00

The Venture Eclectic

Above are images of the Venturi Astrolab.

Venturi never ceases to amaze us with their eco-friendly creations. In addition to the already unique Eclectic and Fetish, we now have the world’s first commercially-available electric-solar hybrid in the form of the Venturi Astrolab. The car, which resembles a rolling wing with four wheels attached, is covered by 3.6 square metres of photovoltaic solar cells that enables it to reach speeds of up to 75mph with a range of 68 miles.
What we love most about Venturi is that most of their creations aren’t just fragile concepts that will never come close to any form of production. If you can afford the hefty €90,200 price tag then the Astrolab could be sitting in your garage once deliveries start in January 2008. The vehicle requires no fossil fuels whatsoever for its propulsion. Instead, power comes from a tiny 16kW engine that is recharged by the car’s motion or the sun’s rays.
To achieve its level of performance on such low power, the Astrolab was designed with extensive Formula One technology. Prime examples are its carbon monocoque ultra-light chassis and wind tunnel testing. Another cool feature is the Astrolab’s liquid cooled NiMH batteries that can be plugged into a mains socket for recharging. Though we doubt cars like the Astrolab will ever sell in respectable numbers, they do pave the way for a new generation of vehicles that one day we may all be driving.

http://www.motorauthority.com/news/hybridelectric/venturis-solar-electro-hybrid-astrolab/

Why isn't the US Army investing in solar powered cars? Yes I realize its a very light car and the US Army's cars are much heavier. But by investing R&D funds into researching and developing solar powered cars we could increase the efficiency of solar cells that power cars. Another problem were working on is making solar cells less noticable and bulky. Also lets look at another concept that this company is developing.

Sitting alongside its Fetish sibling on the Venturi display at the Paris Motor Show is the self powered Venturi Eclectic. Touted as an autonomous energy vehicle, the Eclectic can be powered independently of any natural energy reserves. It’s powered by a small 22hp (16kW), 50Nm electric motor, and is normally charged up by the 2.5 square metres of solar cells on its roof.
The Eclectic is designed as a daily-driver for urban areas and more closely resembles a golf buggy than an actual car. Designer Sacha Lakic describes the vehicle as a “modern, autonomous and intelligent automobile.” The beauty of the Eclectic is that when it stands still, it’s actually adding energy to its batteries. In regions where the sun doesn’t shine that often, the vehicle uses wind power to rotate a force wheel, which generates electricity topping up the battery.
Complete charge of the liquid cooled NIMH batteries provides a range of about 50km and allows the car to reach speeds of 50 km/h. Wind power alone can drive the car 15km after a full day of charging. If all else fails, owners can simply plug it into a mains unit at home. The four-seater Eclectic weighs just 350 kilograms and will go into production in June 2007 with a price tag of 24,000 euros. Initially, only 200 units will be made but if they prove popular a cheaper version will be produced starting from 2009.

http://www.motorauthority.com/news/car-shows/wind-and-solar-powered-venturi-eclectic/

Now again of course this car wouldn't survive in combat. But if the US Army modified it, it could serve as a great military installation patrol vehicle. That could save plenty of money while also demonstrating the capabilites of solar powered vehicles. It could also serve to develop an industry base for solar powered cars in America. I'm writing our senate and congress to bring this to their attention.

Document about what the DOD is doing to reduce energy cost's at its facilites.

2007-03-16T08:30:00.000-07:00

Example of a solar tree grove in a parking lot.

Below are some examples of money their saving by doing different things like using renewable energy or using fluorescent bulbs.

Solar and Other Renewable Energy Sources

Cost-effective application of solar and other renewable energy sources is an important priority for DoD. The "Million Solar Roofs Initiative" is a commitment to use renewable solar energy wherever it makes sound economic sense. DoD’s plans include using over 3,000 solar applications on buildings by FY00, and 1,000 applications of photovoltaic technology on non-building systems.
Moanalua Terrace at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, installed solar hot water heaters in 136 units of military family housing, and plans to install them in 516 additional units. DoD also installed photovoltaic applications at many test and training ranges in remote locations where utility power was not available. These were previously powered by diesel generators, costing as much as $2.00 per kWh. Photovoltaic power, by comparison, costs from $0.25 to $0.35 per kWh.

Eliminating the Use of Ozone Depleting Substances

Robins Air Force Base, Georgia, reduced ODS emissions by 99 percent and chemicals on EPA’s list of the 17 most hazardous chemicals by 89 percent from the 1992 baseline. The installation virtually eliminated methylene chloride use in paint stripping operations, resulting in annual savings of $790,000 for C-141 aircraft alone. Robins also implemented an ultraviolet light disinfection system at the sewage treatment plant, eliminating the use of 8,000 pounds of chlorine annually.

The Navy’s China Lake Energy Office, California, installed three unique photovoltaic projects on Santa Cruz Island, 8.5 miles from the mountaintop facility. These projects include a photovoltaic array that provides 139 kilowatts to a battery bank capable of holding 2.4 million watt hours. Another project is a water pump, powered by energy from the photovoltaic application, which provides water from 1,500 feet below the surface to the installation. In the initial year of the projects, the Navy saved $400,000 and expects to continue saving.

Improving Energy Efficiency at DoD Facilities

Fort Hood, Texas, is the U.S. Army’s premier installation for training and deploying heavy forces and has made great strides toward improving energy efficiency. Fort Hood’s Pollution Prevention Program is designed to improve cost savings and decrease emissions by preventing generation of solid waste, wastewater, and air emissions through source reduction, reuse, and recycling.
Fort Hood installed a parking lot solar lighting and an active daylighting system. The active daylighting system virtually eliminates all daytime electric lighting, equaling more than 1.4 billion Btus of renewable energy. In the future, each unit is expected to generate power equivalent to 600 to 800 fluorescent light bulbs, saving almost $20,000 each year. Just two panels of the parking lot solar lighting system produce 800 kilowatt hours (kWhs) per year, eliminating more than one ton of emissions. Combined, the two projects have saved approximately 2.5 billion Btus and $103,000. Fort Hood also installed vapor recovery systems on fuel tanks.

https://www.denix.osd.mil/denix/Public/Library/Air/Climate_Change/EE/pnsebook.html

This document was from when Ale Gore was vice president as far as I know some things have changed. The main thing being the cancelation of the hybrid hummer program. Besides that as far as I know they have kept on schedule with the program. In fact because of the war in Iraq, the military is realizing even more so the economic sense of using renewable energy and developing alternative powered vehicles. One can only hope that this will catch on in the Air Force and Navy more. Another interesting possibility would be solar trees for military installations with huge parking lots. Solar tree's are basically solar panels that are supported by structures that also can serve to provide shade for vehicles. Right now the military is doing great at conserving power and using renewable energy at its facilites, the next step is for them to start working on making their ships, vehicles and aircraft more efficient. I'm starting to email our senators in the senate armed services committee.

Here is the list with links to their websites were you can then contact them on what issues you want.

http://armed-services.senate.gov/members.htm

Interesting Possibilites for the US Navy

2007-03-13T17:53:00.000-07:00

Wallenius Wilhelmson unveils a plan to build a solar, wind and tidal powered ship capable of transporting 10,000 cars from Britain to New Zealand.

The futuristic 'Orcelle' may be the first ship to use sun, wind and waves to propel its payload across oceans using renewable energy. A model of the ship is to be displayed at the World Trade Fair in Aichi, Japan in February 2005.

A spokesman for the Scandinavian company said: "This will be the first truly environmentally friendly ship, protecting the atmosphere and marine species". They have around 60 modern vessels that together carry 17 million vehicles a year by sea.820 feet long 'Orcelle' is shorter than the Queen Mary 2 (1,132ft) and the QE2 (963ft). The ship is called the E/S Orcelle after the Orcelle Dolphin - the French word for Irrawaddy dolphin, one of the world's most critically endangered species. The E/S stands for "environmentally sound ship". The vessel will include a cargo deck the size of 14 football pitches.

Wave energy is to be harnessed by 12 dolphin like fins an the ships hull. While, sun and wind energy is collected by three giant rigid wingsails, also covered in solar panels.

The cruise speed is in the region of 15 knots. Stability is provided by the shape of the Pentamaran hull - a slim monohull that will have two smaller support hulls know as sponsons on each side. You may recognise this layout as a Trimaran, or stabilised monohull (see Solar Navigator) in that there are essentially, three hull components in contact with the water.

http://www.solarnavigator.net/solar_transporter_orcelle.htm

This is an interesting idea, the difference between this post and my last post is this: The navy is actually investing in electric warships, the biggest program being the DDX advanced destroyer. Technolgies like this could also have an impact on saving fuel for amphibous transport ships. My question of course is this: Why isn't the military investing in technology like this? Especially with the recent gains in making solar cells more amorphous. Definition of amorphous;
Lacking definite form; shapeless.
Of no particular type; anomalous.
Lacking organization; formless.
Lacking distinct crystalline structure.

Not to mention the gains in wind power and tidal power infrastructure and technology. I think the potential of a renewably electric warship could be enourmous. It would be the perfect mix of sustainability and flexibility. Of course these ships would have to have huge batteries, but just think of it in this way: We develop small unmanned surface vessels that are electric these vessels could recharge at the bigger vessels and form a ring around carrier or amphibous battle groups to protect against terrorists using small boat swarm tactics. This ship would also be able to use different directed energy platforms; such as electro-magnetic or electro-chemical guns. The main difference between the current DDX design and my design is that it would be sustainable. Another possibility with this renewable energy is electro-magnetic armor for the ship when threats such as missiles or gunfire draw near. Depending on how big the battery is, the potentials are unlimited. I think we as Americans should start lobbying congress to fund projects like these and use our taxpayer money more wisely.

Interesting possibilites for the US Air Forces Aircraft

2007-03-13T13:52:00.000-07:00

The Solar Impulse project aims to have a plane powered exclusively by solar energy take off and fly autonomously, day and night, to the point where it could circumnavigate the globe with no fuel, generating no pollution.
The pilots of the Solar Impulse, Bertrand Piccard, psychiatrist/adventurer, and André Borschberg, pilot/entrepreneur, have been leading the project since 2003. Beginning with the first flights, they will share the missions, as at the moment the aircraft can only carry one pilot at a time.
AERODYNAMIC
The wingspan of the aircraft measures 80 metres, slightly wider than the wingspan of an Airbus A380, in order to minimise drag and offer a maximum surface for solar cells. Such light wing loading (8 kg/m2) creates greater sensitivity to turbulence. The ultra-light structure must use customised carbon fibres.
Max. altitude
12,000 m
Max. weight
2000 kg
Average speed
70 km/h
Wingspan
80 m
Max. power of motors
35 kW
Battery weight
450 kg
Battery capacity
200 Wh/kg
Photovoltaic efficiency
0.2

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_Impulse

My question is this; Why isn't the military investing in solar powered aircraft? The effiency of these particular solar cells of course is terrible but as technology moves on maybe we will see enhanced 20 percent efficient solar cells on planes. This technology has a lot of potential to reduce the Air Force's fuel consumption. Right now the most efficient solar cells can transfer 40 % of the suns energy that hits them in to useable power. The potential savings are enormous, projects like this need more attention and I think the Air Force is a perfect example that can get more interest in solar powered planes.