Army selects four companies to solve soldier power problems

The Army Applications Laboratory has selected four companies to develop energy production and storage solutions, according to a Jan. 31 announcement.

The four companies -- Epirus, Resonant Link, Spark Thermionics and Xerion Advanced Battery -- make up the Soldier Power Cohort and are tasked with providing lightweight, high-capacity power sources for soldiers when they are away from the grid, according to the announcement.

The companies are developing power solutions to “support self-sufficiency, reduce burdens, and lessen dependence on resupply,” according to the announcement.

That technology is somewhat limited in the commercial market, the announcement states, although there have recently been dramatic improvements in the area.

“This Cohort offers a way to join forces and move the field forward while keeping our soldiers safe and effective in the harshest environments,” AAL Director Col. Jay Wisham, said in the announcement.

The companies will be given $100,000 to develop conceptual designs that convert existing technologies to support Army missions.

The cohort began on Jan. 24, and design presentations are planned for March 17. Army innovation groups will provide the companies with information about the problems they are asked to solve.