ANU solar technology replacing Army troops’ heavy batteries

ADF Soldiers will soon go into battle with solar panels strapped to their backs — what advantages will it give our diggers?

Heavy battery packs replaced ... An Australian soldier wears flexible solar panels instead. Picture: ADF

THE world’s first ‘solar powered’ soldiers are just around the corner following a breakthrough by scientists at the Australian National University (ANU).

Thanks to fully flexible plastic ‘SLIVER’ solar cells developed at the Australian National University’s Centre for Sustainable Energy Systems, ADF soldiers have been wearing their own personal solar power packs to charge batteries and devices such as laptops.

Much of the equipment carried by the modern-day infantry soldier such as night vision goggles, radios, lasers and GPS systems requires heavy battery packs to power it.

Heavy battery packs replaced ... An Australian soldier wears flexible solar panels instead. Picture: ADF

Diggers trialled the so-called Solar Integrated Power Systems (SIPS) for 72-hours under mission conditions with normal power demands.

According to project development manager Igor Skryabin the system performed very well.

“In overcast conditions the ANU flexible panels produced sufficient power to maintain battery charge. In sunny conditions the panels charged the batteries,” Professor Skryabin said.

Lighter to carry ... Soldiers have been trialling solar power packs to charge batteries and devices such as laptops. Picture: ADF.

Director of the ANU Centre for Sustainable Energy Systems, Andrew Blakers, said the key to the wearable panels was the ‘SLIVER’ solar cell technology developed by ANU.

Professor Blakers told News Corp Australia that he hoped the wearable solar technology would be on the market within two or three years.

“The system will require some further proving and then we will be looking for a company to implement it and handle the commercial side,” he said.

Professor Blakers said that apart from the military the system would have broad application across the outdoors industry.

ANU breakthrough ... The panels are thinner than cardboard and the system produces about 200 watts a kilogram. Picture: ADF.

‘The weight of batteries is an issue with everyone working outdoors,’ he said.

Professor Blakers said the key to the plastic SLIVER technology was the incredible power to weight and power to volume ratios.

The panels are thinner than cardboard and the system produces about 200 watts a kilogram.

‘The power to weight ratio of the flexible cells is twice as good as other glass panels.

‘Because they bend they are also quite robust and soldiers aren’t exactly gentle so they need to be rugged and flexible.’

Professor Blakers said flexible plastic was the way of the future for solar technology because they can follow any surface including corrugated iron and they can be applied in circles as well.

Originally published as ANU solar technology replacing Army troops’ heavy batteries