New Use Energy wins DIU contract for portable Army power

New Use Energy Solutions has signed an agreement with the Defense Innovation Unit to develop battle-ready portable energy nodes for the U.S. Army. The Phoenix-based veteran-led company says its Ukraine field experience will help it deliver quieter, lower-cost power for soldiers in remote and contested environments.

Why it matters: - The Defense Innovation Unit program is meant to give U.S. Army soldiers portable power that is cheaper, harder to detect and better suited for dispersed operations at the tactical edge. - New Use Energy says the work could also support U.S. manufacturing for components that have largely moved overseas.

What happened: - New Use Energy Solutions, Inc. announced an agreement with the Defense Innovation Unit on Sept. 1, 2026. - The company will develop battle-ready portable energy nodes for the U.S. Army. - The Phoenix-based company is veteran-led and focuses on portable power systems for military, tactical and expeditionary use.

The details: - The DIU is a U.S. Department of War organization that speeds military adoption of commercial technology. - The program is intended to deliver rugged, cost-conscious power for soldiers operating in remote and contested environments. - New Use Energy says it has more than four years of continuous field experience supporting military operations in Ukraine. - The company began powering some of the earliest drone teams in Ukraine in 2022, before small unmanned aircraft systems were widely adopted. - New Use Energy says it has supported more than 100 frontline units. - The agreement calls for soldier-friendly form factors that are highly mobile, quick to deploy, easy to use, quiet and difficult to detect. - The effort is built around solutions that could be produced affordably and at scale. - New Use Energy says its current products and the DIU focus on commercially derived capability align with that approach. - The company’s product line includes SunCase field-proven power stations plus low-signature thermal and solar technologies. - New Use Energy is based in Phoenix, Arizona, and its website is More information. - The release also lists company social accounts on LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook and YouTube.

Between the lines: - New Use Energy is pitching battlefield experience in Ukraine as a differentiator against traditional power vendors. - The company argues legacy generators are too loud, too hot and too easy to detect for modern front-line use. - The emphasis on attritable, commercially derived systems suggests the Army is looking for power gear that can be replaced without the cost profile of legacy military hardware. - The supply-chain pitch also signals an industrial-policy angle, with New Use Energy suggesting the program could help rebuild domestic component production.

What's next: - New Use Energy will now work with DIU on the portable power nodes for the Army. - The company expects the effort to produce new American products at a lower price point for taxpayers. - Shmotolokha said the team is eager to deliver battle-ready systems built for stealth, mobility and rapid deployment.

The bottom line: - The contract gives New Use Energy a chance to turn combat-tested power systems into Army equipment designed for a more mobile and less permissive battlefield.