{"id":9631,"date":"2016-11-04T18:32:42","date_gmt":"2016-11-04T22:32:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/digital.hbs.edu\/platform-rctom\/submission\/ohana-means-family-learning-to-share-resources-sustainably\/"},"modified":"2016-11-04T18:36:23","modified_gmt":"2016-11-04T22:36:23","slug":"ohana-means-family-learning-to-share-resources-sustainably","status":"publish","type":"hck-submission","link":"https:\/\/d3.harvard.edu\/platform-rctom\/submission\/ohana-means-family-learning-to-share-resources-sustainably\/","title":{"rendered":"Ohana Means Family: Learning to Share Resources Sustainably"},"content":{"rendered":"

Imagine you\u2019re hanging out on the beach, enjoying a nice lilikoi shave ice or snacking on a spam musubi. Life\u2019s good. Not much to worry about, right? Actually, if you\u2019re Hawaiian Electric Industries (HEI), you\u2019ve got a lot to think about because you supply 95% of Hawaii\u2019s residents with electricity [1]. You help Waiola Shave Ice freeze their ice. You keep the gas station\u2019s lights and warming oven going so those spam musubis stay warm. Without HEI (or a good backup generator), grocery stores and homes can\u2019t store food. Important hospital equipment stops running.<\/p>\n

Spam musubi<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Operating an electric utility is a lot of work but operating on a chain of islands comes with additional challenges. HEI has isolated electrical systems on each island that aren\u2019t connected to each other or to any other electrical grid [2]. This means HEI needs to maintain a higher level of reserve generation than typically carried by mainland utilities, which can share reserve capacity with each other [3]. Most of this electricity comes from non-renewable sources that HEI imports, such as oil or coal [4]. However, in response to growing concerns about climate change, the State of Hawaii passed legislation in 2015 requiring electric utilities to switch to 100% renewable energy production by 2045 [5]. HEI faces significant operational challenges and risks as it explores various renewable energy technologies. Fortunately, due to the high cost of importing fuel, HEI is uniquely positioned as an electric utility with a significant cost advantage to producing renewable energy relative to other providers. This commitment to renewables could also make HEI a magnet for innovative thinkers and allow HEI to tap into a strong talent pool.<\/p>\n

Obama enjoying some shave ice<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Building up all that renewable production capacity will require significant investments in new technologies and infrastructure. Compounding the challenge, Hawaii\u2019s population is projected to increase from 1.4 million people in 2010 to 1.7 million in 2040, which may drive up total electricity demand [6]. As climate change causes global temperatures to rise, Hawaii can expect to get significantly warmer (up to a 9.4\u00b0F increase by the end of the century) [7]. Hawaii enjoys average daytime temperatures of 78\u00b0F to 85\u00b0F [8]. Higher average temperatures, especially in the summer, will also push overall demand and peak capacity needs up as people turn on their air conditioning more often. To mitigate the burden of higher demand on the existing power grid, HEI has encouraged consumers to save energy and install solar panels on their homes [9]. HEI has been proactive about taking steps to keep the transition to renewables smooth by reducing stress on the grid.<\/p>\n

\"
Solar Panels on Rooftops<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

In addition to balancing supply and demand as HEI switches to renewable energy, HEI needs to take additional steps to ensure the new sources of production truly are renewable. Converting fuel into electricity requires water, with different methods resulting in different levels of water consumption [10]. HEI\u2019s oil and coal fueled plants rely on traditional thermoelectric power station cooling, which use between 250 and 800 gal\/MWh [11]. Certain types of renewable energy (e.g. biofuels, geothermal, nuclear) require much more water than this, while others (e.g. solar PV, wind) require virtually no water [12]. HEI is already experimenting with using recycled graywater at some of its facilities, which has the added benefit of reducing operating costs because graywater does not need demineralizing [13]. As HEI responds to increased demand and shifts to new production technologies, it must continue to look for ways to use water thoughtfully and sustainably. Of course, it takes electricity to pump groundwater and treat waste or saltwater. HEI needs to carefully consider which sources of renewable energy make the most sense from a net cost perspective as well as a sustainability perspective.<\/p>\n

Kalalau Beach<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Hawaii is expected to see a significant rise in sea levels as a result of climate change [14]. This will raise the fresh water table, turning existing groundwater wells brackish and reducing the total supply of fresh groundwater [15]. As temperatures rise, agriculture may need more water for crop and livestock needs, exacerbating the water shortage. As demand for water increases, Hawaii will find itself in a tough spot. This is an island chain located thousands of miles from the nearest land mass \u2013 there are no backup sources of water other than what can be found on the islands (rainwater, surface water, groundwater, and reclaimed water) [16]. As HEI transitions into 100% renewables and responds to the impacts of climate change, HEI will need to take special care to use resources thoughtfully and share them with all of the other people living on the islands. After all, \u201cohana means family and family means no one gets left behind\u201d [17].<\/p>\n

Sun + water can make electricity but it makes rainbows too!\u00a0<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

(775 words)<\/strong><\/p>\n

Sources<\/strong><\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Hawaiian Electric Company, Inc.. 2016. Hawaiian Electric Company, Inc.<\/em>. [ONLINE] Available at: https:\/\/www.hawaiianelectric.com\/about-us<\/a><\/u>. [Accessed 4 November 2016].<\/li>\n
  2. Ibid.<\/li>\n
  3. Hawaiian Electric Industries, Inc.. 2015. Form 10-K for FY 2015<\/em>. [ONLINE] Available at: https:\/\/www.sec.gov\/Archives\/edgar\/data\/46207\/000035470716000128\/a201510k.htm<\/a><\/u>. [Accessed 4 November 2016].<\/li>\n
  4. Ibid.<\/li>\n
  5. Ibid.<\/li>\n
  6. Hawaii Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism . 2012. Population and Economic Projections for the State of Hawaii to 2040 <\/em>. [ONLINE] Available at: http:\/\/files.hawaii.gov\/dbedt\/economic\/data_reports\/2040-long-range-forecast\/2040-long-range-forecast.pdf<\/a><\/u>. [Accessed 4 November 2016].<\/li>\n
  7. The Risky Business Project. 2014. Risky Business: The Economic Risks of Climate Change in the United States<\/em>. [ONLINE] Available at: http:\/\/riskybusiness.org\/site\/assets\/uploads\/2015\/09\/RiskyBusiness_Report_WEB_09_08_14.pdf<\/a><\/u>. [Accessed 4 November 2016].<\/li>\n
  8. Hawaiian Electric Industries, Inc.. 2014. 2014 Corporate Sustainability Report<\/em>. [ONLINE] Available at: https:\/\/www.snl.com\/interactive\/newlookandfeel\/1031123\/2014_Sustainability_Report.pdf<\/a><\/u>. [Accessed 4 November 2016].<\/li>\n
  9. Hawaii Tourism Authority. 2016. Hawaii Weather<\/em>. [ONLINE] Available at: http:\/\/www.gohawaii.com\/statewide\/travel-tips\/weather\/<\/a><\/u>. [Accessed 4 November 2016].<\/li>\n
  10. Mielke, Erik; Anadon, Laura Diaz; and Narayanamurti, Venkatesh . 2010. Water Consumption of Energy Resource Extraction, Processing, and Conversion<\/em>. [ONLINE] Available at: http:\/\/belfercenter.ksg.harvard.edu\/files\/ETIP-DP-2010-15-final-4.pdf<\/a><\/u>. [Accessed 4 November 2016].<\/li>\n
  11. Ibid.<\/li>\n
  12. Fukunaga & Associates, Inc.. 2010. Hawaii County Water Use and Development Plan Update<\/em>. [ONLINE] Available at: http:\/\/files.hawaii.gov\/dlnr\/cwrm\/planning\/wudpha2012.pdf<\/a><\/u>. [Accessed 4 November 2016].<\/li>\n
  13. The Limtiaco Consulting Group. 2013. 2013 Update of the Hawaii Water Reuse Survey and Report<\/em>. [ONLINE] Available at: http:\/\/files.hawaii.gov\/dlnr\/cwrm\/planning\/hwrsr2013.pdf<\/a><\/u>. [Accessed 4 November 2016].<\/li>\n
  14. The Risky Business Project. 2014. Risky Business: The Economic Risks of Climate Change in the United States<\/em>. [ONLINE] Available at: http:\/\/riskybusiness.org\/site\/assets\/uploads\/2015\/09\/RiskyBusiness_Report_WEB_09_08_14.pdf<\/a><\/u>. [Accessed 4 November 2016].<\/li>\n
  15. U.S. Geological Survey. 2014. Coastal Groundwater Systems<\/em>. [ONLINE] Available at: http:\/\/wh.er.usgs.gov\/slr\/coastalgroundwater.html<\/a><\/u>. [Accessed 4 November 2016].<\/li>\n
  16. Ibid.<\/li>\n
  17. Lilo & Stitch<\/em>, 2002. [DVD] DeBlois, Dean; Sanders, Chris, United States: Walt Disney Feature Animation.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

     <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    Tackling sustainable energy production on resource constrained islands<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2427,"featured_media":14232,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","template":"","categories":[1965,1237,185,179,14,1828],"class_list":["post-9631","hck-submission","type-hck-submission","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-hawaii","category-hawaiian-electric","category-renewable-energy","category-solar-energy","category-sustainability","category-water-usage"],"connected_submission_link":"https:\/\/d3.harvard.edu\/platform-rctom\/assignment\/climate-change-challenge-2016\/","yoast_head":"\nOhana Means Family: Learning to Share Resources Sustainably - Technology and Operations Management<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/d3.harvard.edu\/platform-rctom\/submission\/ohana-means-family-learning-to-share-resources-sustainably\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Ohana Means Family: Learning to Share Resources Sustainably - 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