
#53: Liquid Logistics: Securing the frontline power & water our military needs
From Power of ERDC by U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC)
April 7, 2026 · 32 min
About this episode
Dr. Andy Nelson discusses the challenges and advancements in providing power and water logistics for the military.
On the modern battlefield, supplying essential power and water in austere environments is a major logistical challenge. The effort to quickly develop and deploy essential technologies to provide these “liquid logistics” is at the forefront of several ERDC research programs and projects. Leading that effort are the world-class research teams at ERDC’s Construction Engineering Research Laboratory (CERL). Leveraging the laboratory’s unique capabilities and facilities, these teams are accelerating the development, testing and deployment of transformative technologies.  Their work is reshaping the logistical landscape for our military, while enhancing Soldier safety and the ability of U.S. forces to operate and dominate in any environment. Dr. Andy Nelson, director of CERL, provides a high-level perspective on the operational energy and water programs currently underway.  In the discussion, he explains operational energy and water (1:33), how CERL became a world-leader in these research areas (3:34), and how some of CERL’s unique facilities provide critical Soldier touchpoints for new technologies (7:41). He also covers how interconnected water and…
People in this episode
Guest: Dr. Andy Nelson
Topics covered
- logistics
- military
- energy
- water
- technology
- research
Keywords
- liquid logistics
- military logistics
- energy solutions
- water supply
- CERL
- research programs
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center, Construction Engineering Research Laboratory
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