Air Force Seeks Breakthrough Energy Storage Solutions to Strengthen Installation Resilience
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The Air Force, through the Air Force Office of Energy Assurance (AFOEA), has launched a new opportunity for partnership aimed at accelerating advanced energy storage technologies to enhance installation resilience and mission continuity across the force.
Announced on June 4, "Advanced Energy Storage for Installation Resilience" is an AFOEA effort in support of the Chief Digital and Artificial Intelligence Office (CDAO). The partnership opportunity calls on industry to deliver innovative, non-lithium energy storage solutions that can be rapidly demonstrated and deployed in support of Department of Defense (DoD) missions.
Addressing Critical Energy Vulnerabilities
The opportunity reflects growing concern that existing energy systems at military installations are not adequately prepared for modern threats. Many bases continue to rely heavily on commercial power grids and traditional diesel backup generators—systems that are increasingly vulnerable to disruption from extreme weather, cyberattacks, and adversary actions.
These limitations present a significant challenge to the DoD's mandate to achieve 99.9% energy resilience by 2030, allowing no more than 8.76 hours of downtime annually for critical missions. Meeting this standard will require a fundamental shift toward diversified, resilient, and adaptive energy systems capable of sustaining operations during prolonged outages.
Focus on Advanced, Non-Lithium Technologies
Through this initiative, AFOEA is specifically targeting advanced, non-lithium energy storage technologies spanning electrochemical, mechanical, thermal, and hybrid systems. While lithium-based batteries currently dominate the market, they present safety concerns and limitations in duration, making them less suited for long-term resilience applications at military installations.
The Air Force is seeking demonstration-ready solutions within 12 months that can support both behind-the-meter and in-front-of-the-meter deployment. Technologies should be flexible enough to integrate with installation infrastructure and scalable for broader adoption across the DoD enterprise.
In addition to technical capability, AFOEA is encouraging vendors to propose third-party financed business models that deliver energy services rather than requiring the government to own and maintain the underlying assets. These approaches can leverage revenue streams from energy markets and external stakeholders, improving cost-effectiveness and accelerating adoption.
Leveraging the Tradewinds Solutions Marketplace
Submissions for the partnership opportunity are being collected through the Tradewinds Solutions Marketplace. Vendors are required to submit video-based proposals outlining how their solutions address the defined problem, accelerate mission capabilities, advance the state of the art, and align with viable business models.
Submissions will be accepted through July 3, 2026, with evaluations conducted between July 6 and July 31. Solutions deemed "awardable" will be added to the Tradewinds marketplace, making them eligible for future prototype awards or follow-on contracting opportunities.
Strategic Importance for Mission Assurance
The initiative underscores the Air Force's broader push to integrate energy resilience into mission assurance planning. Reliable access to power is a foundational requirement for sustaining operations in contested and uncertain environments.
Kirk Phillips, Director of the Air Force Office of Energy Assurance, and presenter at IDGA's Defense Logistics & Energy Summit, emphasized the urgency and importance of advancing new solutions.
"The Air Force Office of Energy Assurance is driving improvements to energy (power and water) resilience Department wide to achieve mission assurance through energy assurance," Phillips said. "Flexible advanced energy storage is a critical component for which we still have mission needs without a matched solution. Our Advanced Energy Storage solicitation seeks near-term solutions that are demonstration-ready within 12 months and enable flexible deployment applications for behind-the-meter and/or in-front-of-the-meter."
Driving Innovation Through Industry Collaboration
This partner opportunity represents a clear signal that the Air Force is seeking to partner with industry to rapidly field next-generation energy capabilities. By focusing on near-term, scalable technologies and innovative financing models, AFOEA aims to close existing capability gaps and build a resilient energy foundation for future operations.
As geopolitical risks and infrastructure vulnerabilities continue to grow, advanced energy storage is poised to become a critical enabler of military readiness—ensuring installations can operate uninterrupted, regardless of the threat environment. At IDGA's Defense Logistics & Energy Summit attendees will discuss the future of energy security at military installations. The two-day event takes place September 9-10 in Falls Church, Virginia.
