The U.S. military pledged to implement solar power technologies in its operations and recently, the Army announced that it is testing an innovative solar panel system that is flexible, portable and attached to tents that troops use when on missions.
The army is testing out the new solar panels in both the U.S. and foreign countries where troops are stationed, like Afghanistan. Currently, troops often carry cumbersome generators with them to charge batteries, computers and vision goggles when they are traveling. However, the photovoltaic systems on the tents will enable the troops to convert light into electricity, effectively eliminating the need for the extra equipment.
Katherine Hammack, assistant secretary of the Army for installations, energy and environment, affirmed that many servicemen and women "don't want to bring fuel to the generator or haul batteries," and that the tents can cancel out that need. Moreover, in the extensive testing the Army has already performed, they have found that "the durability of the tent covers has evolved to a point where we would like to see more of them deployed."
The tents come in varying sizes and the largest version, 16-by-20-feet, can generate roughly 800 watts of electricity. Additionally, Steven Tucker, an engineer who worked on the development of the technology, asserts that the tents will better serve soldiers serving in hostile territory where "you don't want to use a generator because you don't want the noise or heat signature that goes along with it."
