The Marines go through enormous amounts of fuel idling vehicles at checkpoints or listening posts. The engines need to stay on because the troops need to power devices like radios and laptops that run battlefield management software.
The solid oxide fuel cell from Delphi enables troops to keep their electronics powered without having to keep their engines on.
It still uses fossil fuel to operate, but converts the fuel directly to electricity, a more efficient process.
The company says it's 85% more efficient than idling an engine to produce power.
Minimizing the armed forces' dependence on oil saves soldiers' lives and is a lifeline like no other for the green energy industry.
