CERDEC, the U.S. Army’s development, research and engineering command, is taking steps toward implementing DISA’s global energy grid to U.S. forces stationed stateside and overseas.

Dr. Thomas S. Podlesak of CERDEC’s Power and Integration Directorate explained to the press how unifying existing power technologies between the army and DISA will further the advancement of Smart Grid technology.

The purpose for this partnership between the army and DISA is not to bring the U.S. Army up to speed with the rest of the world’s evolved methods of energy consumption – the army’s appreciation for intelligent power consumption has preceded civilian efforts in innovation and practice.

The army is reported to have made remarkable progress with developing energy efficient solutions on military bases in the past, such as seen in Fort Carson, Colorado. The National Renewable Energy Laboratory in Golden assisted in creating innovative bioenergy systems that would make military bases energy independent, starting with Fort Carson.

Some of the Army’s investments for intelligent power included a $7-million project for smart grids and $8 million in competitive grants – investments intended to reduce the overall cost of energy consumption in the long run.

Fort Carson, however, is perhaps an example of the “stove pipe” operations the army is moving away from by teaming up with DISA.

“Military operations are becoming more and more net-centric, but current energy use in the field is stove-piped with minimal coordination,” said Dr. Podlesak. “Our goal is to interface power generation and utilization with data systems so we know where things are and where we have to go. The GEG concept would use DISA-owned data command and control links to coordinate and schedule the generation and usage of military power sources.”

The ways military issued electric hybrid vehicles – on air, land and sea – are powered, and is one of the areas the army hopes to improve in as a result of the Global Energy Grid project with DISA.