The Innovative Energy Solutions for Military Applications (IESMA), a biennial international conference and industrial exhibition, was hosted in Vilnius by the NATO Energy Security Centre of Excellence (NATO ENSEC COE) in November 2018. This event took place in the Lithuanian Exhibition and Congress Centre (LITEXPO) and was greatly supported by the NATO ENSEC COE partners, including the State Military Scientific Technical Centre “DELTA” of the Ministry of Defence of Georgia and the NATO Emerging Security Challenges Division and the NATO Science for Peace and Security Programme.
The goal of IESMA was to enable the exchange of information and experiences regarding best practices and technologies for advancing energy efficiency in the military. Experts from NATO nations, NATO partner nations and from others around the world, discussed advanced and cutting-edge technical energy developments, material and non-material aspects of energy efficiency, and their relevance for military operations. The aim of IESMA 2018 was to highlight advancements made during the previous two years since IESMA 2016, facilitate information exchange, and encourage technology transfer. This should help to accelerate the transfer and adaptation of innovative energy technologies from the civilian to the military sector for practical use in the field. This year’s IESMA focused on several aspects of energy efficiency in the military such as energy policy, camp energy management and installation improvements, operational energy efficiency in navy and air forces, etc. As a new feature, IESMA 2018 included a session focused on hybrid power generation and micro grids for dual use, using innovative energy solutions that were especially interesting for organisations that have sensor stations, observation platforms, or deployable field camps in remote locations, often in extreme climate conditions or hazardous regions.
The NATO ENSEC COE is proud to acknowledge that the event attracted more than 500 energy experts from military, academia, industry and government from NATO and NATO partner countries who exchanged knowledge and discussed lessons learned, with a focus on standard, advanced and cutting-edge energy-saving technologies. Since 2011, this event has grown in size, interest, quality, and influence.
The industrial exhibition and two industry sessions gave the companies an opportunity to display, explain and present their innovative energy solutions/technologies. These technologies varied from smart energy tents, smart lightning, smart grid control, small autonomous grids, hybrid power systems, diesel saving systems and much more. This year’s IESMA included a live demonstration of the Deployable Modular Hybrid Power Generation and Management System (H.P.G.S), organised by the NATO ENSEC COE.
During the three-day event, a common theme among the presentations was that new initiatives and innovations in the area of energy efficiency should be shared and harmonized between nations. Some of the presented national initiatives showed that militaries should start to use existing innovative energy technologies. The number of national and multinational activities, projects and innovative solutions towards this goal is rising, with the research and demonstrator projects being implemented by various nations. Therefore, much remains to be done to ensure that innovative solutions will become trusted by the military and affordable for future forces as innovative energy efficient solutions have not yet been mainstreamed in military applications. The vibrant increase of interest and undertaking of energy efficiency actions among all nations can create interoperability and compatibility problems in the Alliance, as well as duplication of efforts within NATO and partners Nations. Reducing the fuel consumption in the military is an operational imperative. Innovative energy solutions cannot only save money when less fuel is used, but can also save soldiers’ lives, and help improve mobility, as well as the resilience and endurance of military forces.
Vitalija Petronė
IESMA 2018 Project Lead
Subject Matter Expert of the Doctrine
and Concept Development Division
The U.S. Air Force’s Strategy for Optimizing Aviation Fuel Use
Dual Use Hybrid Power and Energy Systems in the High Arctic
Energy Management in the Military Expeditionary Environment
Energy policy and its impact on industry – security interests and the bottom line
Other Publications by This Author
-
Executive Summary of the field experiment conducted by NATO ENSEC COE in the summer of 2023, utilizing Hydrogen Fuel Cell technology within the military environment
The experiment confirmed the potential of portable hydrogen fuel cells to enhanc
-
Energy Highlights No.18
In this edition, the authors have attempted to outline the very broad term of Cr
-
Energy Highlights No.17
Russia’s unprovoked invasion of Ukraine has plunged the European continent int
-
Energy Management Handbook
The purpose of the book is to explain the principles of, and provide advice on t
-
Energy Highlights No.16
The clean energy transition is without a doubt one of the greatest challenges of
-
Web conferences on Climate change and Energy Security for NATO Nations
With this series of conferences, we wanted to explore the link between climate c
-
Energy Highlights No.15
These three very different articles serve as an important reminder that energy s
-
Nitrogen based propellants as substitute for carbon containing fuels
Nitrogen based fuels have several advantages over carbon-based fuels. No greenho
-
Hybrid warfare against Critical Energy Infrastructure: The Case of Ukraine
This study identifies and analyses the success of different hybrid warfare tools
-
Energy Highlights No.14
This issue of Energy Highlights is a direct response to these challenges we face
-
Energy Highlights No.13
This issue of Operational Highlights provides a timely overview of the emerging
-
Energy Highlights No.12
Changing security aspects for future energy systems: Renewable energy and possib
-
Energy Highlights No.11
Energy Security: Eight Relevant LessonsMICHAEL RÜHLERelevant political and tech
-
Energy Security Forum No.10: IESMA 2016 Special Edition
In November, 2016 NATO Energy Security Centre of Excellence (NATO ENSEC COE) had
-
Energy in Irregular Warfare
Part II of “Hybrid Warfare against Critical Energy Infrastructures Study”Hei
-
“Energy Efficiency: Cultural Change” – Final Report of the Second Part of the Study
Authors: Jūratė Černevičiūtė, Orsetta Chichinato, Leonardo Piccinetti, Maa
-
Hybrid Threats: Overcoming Ambiguity, Building Resilience
On 10th-11th September 2015, NATO Energy Centre of Excellence (ENSEC COE) organi
-
Energy in Conventional Warfare
Since the rise of coal in the industrial revolution, and later through petroleum
-
Energy Highlights No.10
Estonia’s Developing Level Playing Field for Critical Energy Infrastructure Pr
-
Energy Security Forum: IESMA 2014 Special Edition
In November 2014, the NATO Energy Security Centre of Excellence and the State Mi
-
Energy Highlights No.9
Energy Resource Management of the Italian ArmyCIRO APREA AND VINCENZO CARI’Ove
-
Energy Highlights No.8
2014: A Watershed Year for Energy SecurityMICHAEL RÜHLERussia’s illegal annex
-
Energy Highlights No.7
Energy Security in the NATO Framework JURGITA LUNYTĖ, JONAS URBANAVIČIUS
-
Energy Security Forum No.9
The ninth volume of “Energy Security Forum” also serves as an introduction f
-
Energy Highlights No.6
Energy Security Discipline Development in NATO: First Steps for Moving Forward
-
Energy Highlights No.5
NATO and Energy Security: Current Achievements and Future Challenges SORIN DU
-
Energy Security Forum No.8
The topic which we have chosen for the eighth volume of the “Energy Security F
-
Energy Highlights No.4
National Research Council of Canada (NRC) backs up historic civil 100 percent bi
-
Energy Highlights No.3
Smart Energy at “Capable Logistician 2013” Dr. Susanne Michaelis In mi
-
Energy Security Forum No.7
The seventh edition of “Energy Security Forum” observes what challenges can
