DuPont, Smart Fuel Cell AG Win Wearable Power Prize Competition

The DuPont and Smart Fuel Cell AG (SFC) M-25 portable fuel cell has won the U.S. Department of Defense Research and Engineering (DDR&E) USD 1 million Wearable Power Prize in a competition held in Twentynine Palms, Calif. The lightweight M-25 fuel cell combines DuPont’s direct methanol fuel cell technology with SFC’s commercially proven fuel cell systems, products, and integration expertise.

“DuPont, in collaboration with SFC, is thrilled to have won the competition, and to work with the U.S. Department of Defense to address the need for a lightweight, long endurance power system for soldiers,” said Mark Baunchalk, DuPont Fluoroproducts – Fuel Cells business leader. “We greatly appreciate the strong collaboration with SFC and it was an honor to compete with the other teams showcasing our fuel cell technology that represents a major breakthrough in portability, weight reduction and prolonged power output.”

The Wearable Power Prize competition focuses on long endurance, lightweight power systems for deployed U.S. soldiers. Qualifications for the competition included a portable power system that provides an average of 20 watts of electrical power for 96 hours, and weighs less than 4 kilograms (8.8 pounds).

The M-25 design was modified to further reduce weight and extend performance. The M-25 standard design, when worn by soldiers in the field for extended missions, is up to 80 percent lighter than conventional power sources, yet capable of powering a wide range of soldier equipment, such as digital communication and navigation equipment. In addition to its light weight, the M-25 delivers quiet and continuous energy, and offers independent stand-alone functions such as remote area battery charging and power. The M-25 has the capability to revolutionize wearable portable power sources by extending soldier mission times to 72 hours or more.

“We are extremely proud that our partnership with DuPont produced a wearable power system of the future that was able to successfully meet the rigorous requirements of the U.S. Department of Defense in this competition,” said Peter Podesser, CEO of SFC.