AUSTIN, Texas – The Army recognizes the need to provide future Soldiers with more durable and reliable energy sources, and is experimenting with a variety of new and creative solutions to deliver the power required for tech-supported warfighting.

One such innovation uses commonly available, filtered windshield washer fluid — which contains the key ingredient methanol — to recharge Soldiers’ mission-critical electronic devices – such as radios and situational awareness aides – while on the go.

The tool, referred to as the Soldier Wearable Power Generator (SWPG), is a small and mobile fuel cell capable of rendering power through innovative thermal energy technology.

Developed in partnership with UltraCell, the SWPG weighs 5 pounds, is designed to be Soldier-worn on a back plate or carried in a backpack, and can run off either filtered windshield washer fluid or a commercial methanol/water mix.

When filtered properly, 1 pound of windshield washer fluid can provide enough energy to charge the equivalent of three Conformable Wearable Batteries that weigh 7.8 pounds; the SWPG’s refillable cartridges can be as small as 1 pound or as large as 24 pounds, depending on charging needs.

Beyond charging individual batteries, the SWPG is equipped to directly support tactical, software-based systems such as Nett Warrior. It can also feed battery-charging power scavengers, such as the Universal Battery Charger-Lite and hubs like the Integrated Soldier Power and Data System-Core. While the SWPG provides a 50-watt base load on its own, it can be paired with rechargeable lithium ion batteries to help fuel hybrid charging systems that offer increased power surges.

The apparatus, which does not get excessively hot or cause ventilation issues for the Soldiers wearing it, seeks to address the Army’s small unit power requirement of providing on-the-move recharging capabilities that extend battery life and minimize the need for frequent battery exchange or reliance on heavy generators.

The Army’s Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Cyber, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (C5ISR) Center leads the service’s applied research and development in energy storage and power generation component technologies.

“Army researchers are continually working on solutions to meet Soldiers’ anticipated needs during this time of rapid modernization,” said Marnie Bailey, C5ISR Center’s Power Division Chief. “The SWPG is the latest example of using our in-house expertise to enable greater Soldier lethality.”

In addition to being compact, lightweight and more efficient than traditional recharging methods, the SWPG is also significantly quieter than conventional gasoline or diesel-powered generators — an important consideration in combat settings. The reception to the device has been positive, with Soldiers saying that the system does not interfere with their ability to conduct their operations.

The SWPG is just one of the unique technologies undergoing field assessment during this month’s Army Expeditionary Warrior Experiment (AEWE) at Fort Benning, Georgia.

The experiment, which is hosted annually by the U.S. Army Maneuver Center of Excellence, takes a closer look how small unit innovations — those geared toward advancing capabilities at the Soldier and squad levels — can have powerful impacts on Soldier maneuver, lethality and survivability.

Insights gathered during AEWE inform the development of priority warfighting capabilities and support the ongoing modernization work of Army Futures Command Cross-Functional Teams. For example, previous AEWE events helped to shape iterative SWPG prototypes by incorporating valuable Soldier feedback, which was then used to tailor and improve the new device.

“AEWE serves as an innovation engine, providing collaboration opportunities and Soldier touchpoints that enable capability developers to rapidly iterate tactical solutions,” said Col. Christopher Budihas, Director of the Army’s Maneuver Battle Lab, adding that “the SWPG is a great example of what this innovation engine can produce.”

By Maureena Thompson, Army Futures Command

Austin, Texas — On February 8-10, 2022, a group of founders, technologists, investors, and market experts will converge at VERTEX | Energy in Austin, Texas, to examine new and novel energy technologies that are attracting private and public sector investment. This three-day symposium, hosted by Army Futures Command (AFC), aims to shed light on cutting-edge commercial energy advancements that can also support U.S. Army modernization goals.

“As part of the FY22 budget, the DOD requested billions to invest in next-gen installation and operational energy technologies,” said Lt. Gen. Thomas Todd, Army Futures Command. “The Army is interested in the same energy technology that’s gaining traction in the commercial market and among private investors. It’s the only way we can stay ahead. So concentrating our market intelligence through this event will allow us — and allow participants from private industry — to get a look at these technologies firsthand.”

According to industry reports, in the past five years, “gov tech” companies raised nearly $2B in private investment, indicating major growth — and major opportunities — in the government market. In November 2021 alone, the federal System for Award Management listed more than 450 energy-related contract opportunities open with the US Army. The Army VERTEX | Energy event will help to inform future investments while also providing attendees with insight into the Army’s funding roadmap directly from the 4-Star Command that determines how and where the Army invests.

This approach is part of a critical AFC effort to ensure Army modernization efforts extend beyond materiel improvements. As part of its modernization plan, the Army wants to diversify and bring more startups and small companies into its portfolio of partners. Doing so at the speed of business will require modernization of formal acquisition processes as well as improvements to the business processes through which those organizations or technologies are discovered.

“The Army is great at gathering operational intelligence to support our missions, but we are less adept at capturing critical intelligence on what new technologies or companies are developing in the commercial market,” said Todd. “VERTEX | Energy is a way to up our game in that area — going beyond what we can discover online and really diving into the technology and how it can help to address some of our most pressing problems.”

Army VERTEX attendees will include personnel from across AFC as well as Army Program Executive Offices (PEOs) with a vested interest in these technologies. It will also include commercial technologists, founders, and market experts who can contribute to a meaningful dialogue on next-generation energy technologies.

While anyone can watch VERTEX sessions virtually via the AFC YouTube livestream, in-person participation will be limited to 150 industry participants per day. In-person attendees will be selected based on alignment between their expertise and critical Army energy use cases.

To learn more about the event or the technology areas that will be discussed, visit armyvertex.com.

By Army Futures Command, Acquisition & Systems