Wearable solar panels developed by the US military are mounted on helmets

A major breakthrough in photoelectric conversion efficiency

The technological development of foreign military use of solar cells is mainly reflected in the improvement of their photoelectric conversion efficiency. In recent years, important breakthroughs have been achieved in the efficiency of various types of solar cells. In 2017, Japan developed a solar cell made of thin-layer silicon with a conversion efficiency of 26.3%, setting a new record for solar cell conversion efficiency and lower cost. In April 2018, German scientists discovered a new way to efficiently improve the light absorption rate of solar cells by imitating the nanostructure of butterfly wings, so that the light absorption rate of the battery can be increased by up to 207%.

Wearable and portable batteries are favored

In recent years, in order to reduce the number of batteries that soldiers need to carry to perform tasks, foreign militaries have vigorously developed foldable and portable solar cells to charge electronic devices carried by soldiers. The U.S. military has developed a solar cell with a shape like a thin copper wire, which can be bent at will. After being woven into a combat uniform, it can collect and store solar energy. After soldiers wear this kind of clothing, they can collect solar energy while walking during the day. It can charge the device and other equipment, no longer need to carry heavy batteries, and greatly improve the maneuverability. Japan has developed a new type of sheet-like organic solar cell with a thickness of only 3 microns. It can be pasted on clothes after ironing with an electric iron and can maintain its performance at a high temperature of 100 ° C. Japan plans to use it as a future Power for sensors embedded in "smart clothes".

In addition to the above two, countries are also developing new battery materials and new structures to improve the conversion efficiency of solar cells and promote industrial development.

From space to sea, from the air to the ground, the development and utilization of new energy has received much attention

At present, the military applications of solar cells are mainly concentrated in the fields of field base power supply, solar drones, high-altitude communication relays, space power generation, solar underwater autonomous vehicles and other fields. Overall, their application prospects are very broad.

Build solar photovoltaic power stations to ease the power consumption of military bases

Solar photovoltaic power generation is considered to be the best energy source used by military operating bases. At present, foreign militaries are gradually increasing their use in forward combat operations to improve the energy efficiency of operational bases, reduce financial expenditures and logistical supply burdens caused by energy consumption, and get rid of the dependence on traditional power sources.

The U.S. military has established solar power stations at several military bases and achieved good results. For example, the U.S. Army has built a 500-megawatt-a-year solar power plant at Fort Irwin Military Base in California's Mojave Desert. Other military power stations are located at military bases in New Mexico, Arizona, California, and Las Vegas. These power stations can basically meet all the power needs of the bases and provide protection for the expanding energy needs of the US military.

Research and develop solar-powered drones to build an aerial multi-task maneuvering platform

The solar-powered UAV does not need to carry fuel, and has the advantages of long battery life, flexible use, and low operating cost. It can quickly fly to the theater and become an ideal aerial platform for tasks such as high-altitude reconnaissance, surveillance, intelligence operations, and communication relay. At present, the United States, Russia, Britain, Japan and other countries have developed solar-powered UAVs. The new solar-powered unmanned aerial vehicle "Solar Impulse 2" developed by Switzerland, which lasted 15 months, completed a test of flying around the earth without using any fuel.

In addition, solar-powered UAVs carrying wireless communication equipment will become satellite substitutes, providing a new way to build a space-earth three-dimensional communication network. For example, a "West Wind" solar-powered UAV equipped by the British special forces. The aircraft is called a "high-latitude pseudolite" and can fly continuously for more than a month at an altitude of 19,500 to 21,000 meters. It is mainly responsible for tasks such as real-time monitoring and wireless communication on the ground. At present, Russia's first solar-powered UAV has also successfully tested its flight. The wireless call and video signal transponder on the aircraft can transmit wireless network data.

Pay attention to the use of space solar power to expand the ground energy supply pipeline

The development and utilization of space solar energy is considered to be a new way to solve the human energy crisis: the solar satellite system absorbs the solar energy outside the earth's atmosphere, converts it into microwaves and transmits it to the ground receiving antenna, and finally converts it into electrical energy that can be used by humans. Space solar power plants can work continuously and have high energy utilization rate, and are considered to be a promising renewable energy system. It is predicted that by 2050, space solar power plants are expected to begin to meet the energy needs of the earth. In addition, the long-distance supply of traditional weapons and equipment relies on ground energy. After this technology is realized, the orbital space station can directly provide electricity to the battlefield, providing strong energy support for military operations to a large extent.

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