Department of Defense

UPDATE: DEC 10, 2014 Please note the contact information in the release has been edited from the original release. 

DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

NEIL ABERCROMBIE
GOVERNOR

MAJ. GEN. DARRYLL D.M. WONG
DIRECTOR

MEDIA RELEASE

Oct. 31, 2014    #2014-020

New Partners Join Collaborative Effort to Explore Methods to Improve Energy Efficiency and Grid Operations

Honolulu, Hawaii – The State of Hawaii, Department of Defense (State DOD) has announced that new partners have joined in the collaborative effort to study energy efficiency and grid operations in Hawaii.  Asia-Pacific Institute for Resilience & Sustainability (AIRS), Hawai`i Pacific University, Swansea University’s Network Science Research Center (NSRC), Synerscope, Furciferi Versuti, and Sensemaking-PACOM Fellowship have joined in with the State of Hawaii’s Governor’s Office, State DOD (Office of Homeland Security), Hawaiian Electric, Mehta Tech Inc, IBM i2, IBM Center for Resiliency and Sustainability, Pacific Disaster Center (managed by the University of Hawaii), and U.S. Pacific Command to study the potential enhancement of the security, reliability, and dependability of the electric grid on Oahu and ways to apply analytics to better predict potential risks and issues, such as natural disasters.

The collaborators are using advanced network/relationship science principles and related technologies to provide necessary solutions and services focused upon Big Data acquisition and analytics. “Energy is the lifeblood of Hawaii,” said Major General Darryll Wong, Hawaii state adjutant general, Director of Hawaii Emergency Management Agency and Homeland Security advisor.  “At the core of everything we do is energy, which impacts water, sewage, cyber and so much more.”

By using an integrated approach that incorporates both operational and transformational information technologies, the collaborators will examine how to improve the overall grid reliability and bridge the gap between efforts to integrate alternative energy solutions and efficiently manage consumption.

As part of this study, Hawaiian Electric and its collaborators will also evaluate Mehta Tech’s Irwin technologies as well as IBM’s Enterprise Insights, Watson Foundation technologies, and other IBM i2 technologies to help them analyze data, such as weather patterns, and predict outages before they occur.  These technologies represent a comprehensive, integrated set of Big Data and Analytics capabilities that enables clients to find and capitalize on actionable insights.

Preliminary results from the collaboration are expected to be available in 2015.
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For Hawaii Homeland Security questions, contact: Lt. Col. Charles Anthony, (808) 733-4258 or [email protected]

For Hawaii Governor’s Office questions, contact Randy Baldemor, (808) 586-1945 or [email protected]

For IBM i2 or IBM Center for Resiliency and Sustainability, Sensemaking and Watson technology questions, contact: Andra Strudler, Marketing Leader; Bob Griffin, General Manager; Dr. Steve Chan, Director; Al-Noor Kassam, (520) 465-6978 or [email protected]

For Mehta Tech technology questions, contact: Jim Hackett, Executive Vice President, (563) 285-9151 or [email protected] or Connie Warner, (563) 285-9151 ext. 47 or [email protected]

For Synerscope technology questions, contact Jan-Kees Buenen, +31 6 445 33014 or [email protected]

For Furciferi Versuti questions, contact Dr. Kathleen Kiernan, (703) 647-6224 or [email protected]m

For Pacific Disaster Center questions, contact Ray Shirkhodai, (808) 891-0525 or [email protected]

For Hawai`i Pacific University specific questions, contact: Mark Davis, Chief of Staff, (808) 544-0803 or [email protected]

For Asia-Pacific Institute for Resilience and Sustainability, Swansea University’s Network Science Research Center, or Sensemaking-PACOM Fellowship specific questions, contact Alison Kuzmickas, Dr. Steve Chan, or Stephen Frano, (808) 477-7609 or [email protected]

For Hawaiian Electric Company specific questions, contact:  Lynne Unemori, Vice President, Corporate Relations, Hawaiian Electric Company, (808) 543-7972 or [email protected]

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Media Contact:
Lt. Col. Charles Anthony
Public Affairs Officer
808-733-4258
[email protected]
www.hawaii.gov/dod

///SIGNED///
CHARLES J. ANTHONY, Lt. Col. , HIANG
JF HQ Hawaii National Guard
Director, Public Affairs
(808) 733-4258 fax:  X4236