AUSA Winter 2015: Reliable off grid power for Special Forces and Remote Environment

Modern soldier systems are becoming more power-hungry. Optimum soldier safety and operability depend upon reliable power supplies.


Conventional solutions are limited: Batteries alone cannot meet the requirements in multi-day missions, forcing soldiers to carry large and heavy spare batteries – weight and volume not available for water, food or ammunition. Generators require maintenance and produce detectable signatures. Solar modules are weather dependent. SFC Power supplies with fuel cells are a silent, lightweight, non-detectable alternative.

Fuel cells recharge batteries fully automatically. Thanks to the high energy density of their fuel (30 times higher than that of lead acid batteries and 7 times higher than that of Li-ion batteries) soldiers can carry along much power at minimum weight and volume. Intelligent power management enables hybrid operation with other energy sources, e.g. solar panels.

Portable power for fielded missions - SFC Energy Network

Fuel cells enable 80% weight savings in fielded missions. The SFC energy network consisting of the portable JENNY 600S fuel cell and the SFC Power Manager is a man portable, flexible fuel cell system. It supplies 24/7 reliable power without emissions or detectable signature. It powers electric devices directly. Operation in combination with the SFC Power Manager enables use of different power sources and charging batteries.

Power for military vehicles and fielded missions - EMILY fuel cell

Communication, sensing and weapon systems require a continuous power supply. In the vehicle engine starts cause cover loss, emissions, fuel consumption, and component wear. Fielded forces face similar problems: They must carry along heavy batteries. EMILY provides reliable power in multi-day missions. It recharges batteries automatically on demand, 24/7, in any weather, without user attention.

Intelligent Power Management - SFC Power Manager

In the field soldiers want to use any available power sources to operate any kind of device they need. This requires intelligent power management. The SFC Power Manager can be integrated into existing systems to simplify power logistics and reduce overall weight while increasing operation efficiency. It enables use of any available power source including batteries, vehicle power, solar, and fuel cells. The intelligent and configurable system automatically adapts output voltage to the requirements of the connected systems. Use the Power Manager for recharging batteries or for directly operating devices.

SFC Energy fuel cells 

SFC Energy fuel cell products are used by numerous international police, defense, and intelligence organizations. SFC Energy has been cooperating closely with German Bundeswehr and the U.S. Army for over 10 years. It is the world’s first company with a fuel cell fully approved for use by the German Bundeswehr. The U.S. ARMY Test and Evaluation Command uses SFC fuel cells on their test ranges to power instrumentation. SFC Energy has sold over 33,000 fuel cell systems in defense and security, off-grid industry and consumer applications worldwide.