Eco Factor: United States Marine Corps’s infantry battalion switches over to solar-powered equipment to reduce fuel consumption.
The infantry battalion of the United States Marine Corps, the 3rd Battalion 5th Marines based at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California is all set to become the first to make a intensive eco-push in the war zone. It will soon deploy to Afghanistan with a new collection of solar-powered equipment that could reduce their fuel consumption by 30 to 50 percent. During a field exercise recently, the company relied completely on solar energy to power the equipment for nearly a week.
Presently a single soldier in Afghanistan uses 22 gallons of fuel a day, and delivering each gallon here costs between $300 and $400. So, the use of solar panels, along with solar-powered generators and tents, could significantly being down the reliance on batteries and gas. Among the technologies that the Marine Corps is deploying is a ground renewable expeditionary energy system (GREENS), which can generate 300 watts of power, making it a feasible alternative to fuel-based generators.
In order to provide clean drinking water to the marines, the company depends on bottled water that is transported by ships and trucks, increasing fuel consumption. It has already tested many water-purification devices, but not even one worked well. The company is still working hard to provide a solution and let’s hope they solve this drinking water problem soon.
Via: Wired
