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From the article: "Last week, a Marine company from California arrived in the rugged outback of Helmand Province bearing novel equipment: portable solar panels
by earl 16y ago
From the article: "Last week, a Marine company from California arrived in the rugged outback of Helmand Province bearing novel equipment: portable solar panels that fold up into boxes; energy-conserving lights; solar tent shields that provide shade and electricity; solar chargers for computers and communications equipment."
So, it sounds like that the military wishes to use hydrocarbons as a portable fuel -- for which there currently is no substitute with comparable energy densities -- but rely less on hydrocarbons to run generators. I have no idea what percentage of energy they were using to run their computers, radios, and air conditioners, but I bet it was substantial. Also, the military has deep experience with smallish, relatively portable nuclear power plants -- see our submarines.
- skowmunk 16y agothe military has deep experience with smallish, relatively portable nuclear power plants -- see our submarines. Yep, and satellites, the types that keep going away and away. They are quite often nuclear powered, to run on-board electronics, but not the reactor type though. Hmm, I wonder what if somebody can make a hydrocarbon with a hyper calorific density, couple it with a high specific output IC engine, electric motors, put on regenerative braking and then batteries with the highest energy density?