36% Reduction in Fuel Resupply Using a Hybrid Generator & Battery System for an Austere Location

The DOD energy policy is to increase energy security resiliency, and mitigate costs in the use and management of energy[1] Forward operating bases (FOBs) are remote, austere base camps that support an operationally defined mission with a limited or no ability to draw from an energy grid and have historically relied on diesel-powered generators for the primary production of energy.[2] Generators are sized to meet a theoretical peak demand, but steady state loads are far below this peak, resulting in under-loaded generators.[3] Under-loaded diesel generators decrease efficiency and increase the need for maintenance, affecting the lifespan of the systems[4,5] This article analyzes the coupling of current power generation technology with energy storage. The addition of optimized energy storage to current diesel generators reduces fuel consumption by 36 percent and reduces energy system costs by 24 percent. Decreased fuel requirements at outlying FOBs equates to fewer resupply convoys, reducing operational fuel use, time spent outside the wire by service members and associated combat casualties. Abstract © Marine Corps Association