Battery Contract Awarded and Congressman Takes Credit

(MoneyWatch)  Channel 69 news in Pennsylvania reports that International Battery received a contract worth over $2 M for lithium batteries. These will be used to supplant regular alkaline batteries commonly used by the US Military in great numbers. The hope is that the longer lasting lithium ones will require recharging less often requiring troops to run their vehicle engines less. One of the persons taking credit for this award is the local Congressman, Charlie Dent (R-PA), who stresses that these batteries are more green as they cut down on emissions by vehicles. The article does not say if this was a specific earmark by Congressman Dent; or that he just lobbied the Army for the Contract.
The modern US military uses thousands of batteries a day. These run equipment such as night vision goggles, weapon sights and radios. The problem of keeping troops resupplied has led to the Defense Advanced Research Project Agency (DARPA) to sponsor earlier this year a wearable power system contest. This was for companies to come in and demonstrate their projects that were light enough to be worn by a soldier without serious encumbrance and provide 20 watts for 96 hours. The website about the contests is found here.