Photovoltaics for the Defense Community through Manufacturing Advances

Abstract

Photovoltaic solar power will bring a new level of self-sufficiency to the defense community, both for individual soldiers and military bases. Flexible photovoltaics integrated into tents and used as portable chargers can provide access to power in remote battlefield conditions. To minimize reliance on supply chains, combining rechargeable batteries with portable photovoltaics could decrease the battery load weight of a soldier by half. In addition, military bases that install photovoltaics will be able to implement micro-grid systems. Micro-grids combine self-sufficient energy generation with base-only electrical interconnection, making a base independent of the outside electrical grid and thus enabling a high degree of security and mission readiness.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Apr 27, 2009
Accession Number
ADA519963

Entities

People

  • Marie K. Mapes

Organizations

  • United States Department of Energy

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Energy and Power Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Cells
  • Communities
  • Crystal Structure
  • Electrical Grids
  • Electricity
  • Energy
  • Energy Production
  • Films
  • Manufacturing
  • Materials
  • Renewable Energy
  • Semiconductors
  • Solar Cells
  • Solar Energy
  • Solar Radiation
  • Supply Chain
  • Thin Films

Readers

  • Defense Technology Research and Development.
  • Electrical Engineering
  • Energy Conservation and Renewable Energy Engineering.