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15 Aug 11. The Australian Army’s power needs are set to be met with the development of new wearable light-weight solar panels, known as Sliver cells. The new solar technology has been developed by the Australian National University and is part of a $2.3m Capability and Technology Demonstrator (CTD) contract with the Department of Defence for sustainable energy systems. The flexible, durable and lightweight Sliver cells have an energy to weight ratio of more than 200W/kg and can be easily carried or worn by soldiers. The new technology is expected to reduce the need for batteries for electronic devices as well as the overall weight being carried by soldiers. Development Manager for the project Dr Igor Skryabin said the wearable solar cells will also establish a power supply that will keep electronic devices operational throughout missions. (Source: armytechnology.com)

15 Aug 11. Fuel cell manufacturers and original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) continue to benefit from an increased U.S. military emphasis on energy security and logistical efficiency associated with the complex and challenging operational conditions being encountered in remote wartime environments such as Afghanistan. At the same time, an almost complete dependence on a fragile and commercial power grid and other national critical infrastructure places military and homeland defense missions at an unacceptably high risk of extended disruption. These factors are leading the U.S. DoD and other military agencies to explore fuel cells as an increasingly important part of their energy strategy for a variety of applications. According to a new report from Pike Research, the escalating adoption of fuel cells will create a $1.2bn market for military fuel cells by 2017, up from only $9m in 2011. (Source: Yahoo!/BUSINESS WIRE)