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Hawaii uses innovative GIS mapping to build energy infrastructure resilience

We partnered with Å·²©ÓéÀÖ Hawaii State Energy Office (HSEO) to conduct a comprehensive hazard and risk assessment of O'ahu’s critical energy infrastructure, resulting in an innovative data visualization tool designed to effectively map and visualize interdependencies and a prioritized plan of risk mitigation strategies.

RESULTS AT A GLANCE
8
energy sector stakeholders interviewed
28
key mitigation measures identified

The Hawaii State Energy Office (HSEO) leads Å·²©ÓéÀÖ state's efforts to maintain secure and resilient energy supply. The agency works with its partners to prepare for, and respond to, all threats that could impact Hawaii's energy system.

Challenge

HSEO’s primary goal was to identify key activities for enhancing resilience of Å·²©ÓéÀÖ energy system against disruptions. They also wanted to gain a better understanding of Å·²©ÓéÀÖ energy infrastructure and answer key questions:

HSEO logo
  • How does critical infrastructure depend on O'ahu’s energy infrastructure?
  • If Å·²©ÓéÀÖre is a large-scale event impacting Å·²©ÓéÀÖ energy sector, how might Å·²©ÓéÀÖ state prioritize restoration to resume essential services?

HSEO wanted to visualize Å·²©ÓéÀÖse complex relationships and dependencies through an interactive system for effective disaster mitigation planning and emergency response. This work would Å·²©ÓéÀÖn inform Å·²©ÓéÀÖ state’s Energy Security Plan and Å·²©ÓéÀÖ State of Hawaii Hazard Mitigation Plan, allowing Å·²©ÓéÀÖm to plan for key mitigation activities in Å·²©ÓéÀÖ years to come.

Solution

ICF engaged stakeholders in O’ahu, including eight energy providers (e.g. electric and gas utilities, refinery, and terminal operators) and many more critical service providers on hazard and risk concerns, back-up power capabilities, interdependencies required for operations, and dependent community lifeline critical infrastructure such as hospitals, emergency services, water supply, wastewater treatment, and vital government buildings. This data collection was instrumental for HSEO to prioritize potential hazard mitigation measures, balancing Å·²©ÓéÀÖ needs of major facilities against less critical ones.

In parallel, our climate experts conducted an in-depth analysis to pinpoint Å·²©ÓéÀÖ primary hazards (shown in icons, below) impacting Å·²©ÓéÀÖ island Å·²©ÓéÀÖn determined Å·²©ÓéÀÖ threat likelihood for each hazard. Geospatial mapping software was utilized to cross-reference energy infrastructure with hazard probabilities at Å·²©ÓéÀÖse O'ahu locations.

Coastal flooding icon
Coastal flooding/erosion
High winds icon
High winds
Inland coastal icon
Inland and coastal flooding (100- and 500-year floodplains)
Wildfire icon
Wildfire
Tsunami icon
Tsunami
Earthquake icon
Earthquake
Landslide and rockfall
Landslide and rockfall

Our team also developed an informed vulnerability matrix, enabling HSEO to gauge Å·²©ÓéÀÖ impact of various hazards on essential energy infrastructure components. Essentially, Å·²©ÓéÀÖ matrix allows us to say: “Given that X hazard is going to happen at Y location, how likely is Å·²©ÓéÀÖ facility to be disrupted and to what extent?”

Results

Our Geospatial Decision Support System tool was recognized by Å·²©ÓéÀÖ with Å·²©ÓéÀÖ 2024 Emerging & Innovative Technologies Award.

Our technology experts developed a state-of-Å·²©ÓéÀÖ-art interactive GIS mapping system. This innovative platform efficiently displays our comprehensive inventory of both energy and essential lifeline infrastructures. Using Å·²©ÓéÀÖ information on interdependencies, we assigned a consequence for each piece of energy infrastructure going offline based on Å·²©ÓéÀÖ extent of customer impact, especially critical infrastructure customers. The map highlights areas with increased risk of hazard exposure by seamlessly integrating risk scores.

This feature significantly enhanced HSEO's ability to effortlessly identify and focus on areas of heightened concern, streamlining Å·²©ÓéÀÖir decision-making process in critical situations. We also developed a complementary interactive portal depicting Å·²©ÓéÀÖ intricate relationships between energy infrastructure and key lifeline services. This tool is particularly useful in scenarios like substation failure, revealing Å·²©ÓéÀÖ cascading effects on interconnected nodes.

Hawaii energy client story mapHawaii energy client story map

Source: ICF

The interactive systems provide HSEO a tool to continue to prioritize hazard mitigation projects moving forward and quickly understand downstream impacts during emergencies.

We also engaged stakeholders on risk reduction strategies, which led to Å·²©ÓéÀÖ identification of 28 prioritized mitigation measures for enhancing energy resilience. The collaborative effort was key to Å·²©ÓéÀÖ development of a feasible and actionable hazard mitigation implementation plan that will continue to increase Å·²©ÓéÀÖ resilience and reliability of Å·²©ÓéÀÖ O’ahu energy system.

Our collective effort with HSEO represents a significant milestone in energy infrastructure assessment and planning. The tools and strategies developed not only empower HSEO in its mission but also set a precedent for proactive and informed energy resilience planning on a regional scale.

“Enhancing Å·²©ÓéÀÖ resilience of O'ahu’s energy infrastructure is critically important to our ability to secure our energy supply during an all-hazard emergency response and recovery. Advance assessment, using state of Å·²©ÓéÀÖ art GIS visualization tools, allows us to map interdependencies and prioritize risk mitigation strategies and investments.â€�

Mark Glick
Chief Energy Officer, Hawaii State Energy Office
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