Kauai Utility Uses IT Strategy To Help Achieve Renewable Energy Goals
The utility on the island of Kauai has selected Workspot, a cloud-based workforce solution to allow employees to work remotely and to use their own mobile devices in the field. Today, it is not uncommon to hear about utilities investing in solar power and perhaps even energy storage, but we don’t hear as much about their IT choices. Kauai Island Utility Cooperative (KIUC) has about 151 employees and over 30,000 electricity accounts. It also wants to develop much more renewable energy in the near and long-term future. Stephen Tangalin, a Network Specialist for KIUC, answered some questions for CleanTechnica.
You want to produce at least 50% of the island’s electricity by 2023 from solar, biomass, and hydropower. Will one of those be emphasized over the others, or will they all generate about 1/3 of the renewable energy?
We are making huge strides in solar, and are actively pursuing other technologies. The cost to fully implement renewable energy technologies is an important factor.
What imported fossil fuels do you use currently to generate electricity?
Diesel and naphtha.
By investing in more renewable energy, there is a concern with extra employee mobility. Is that because they will need to be in the field more at the sites with renewable energy technology?
Yes, we are experiencing an increased demand for secure connectivity to internal utility resources.
You say there are 1,400 miles of 57.1 kV transmission and 12.47 kV distribution lines owned and maintained by the co-op. Will adding renewable energy require increasing that amount considerably?
We will try to locate new projects near existing substations as much as possible, however location and size of project will determine additional requirements.
What are some of the advantages of using the cloud-based Workspace system?
Zero footprint, zero maintenance, and reduced complexity.
Were your employees previously able to remotely access your IT systems?
Yes, however, we had zero BYOD allowance.
What are the benefits of using the Bring Your Own Device approach?
Increased productivity and appreciation from our user community.
How is using the cloud solution and BYOD approach helping you achieve your renewable energy goals?
The solution allows IT to quickly provide KIUC’s workforce with mobility options on-demand.
Was there a training process for using the cloud technology and how was that managed?
Yes, Workspot’s dedicated customer success team provided complete management and training guidance, and they set clear goals to achieve and progressively ensured our success. Workspot’s team went the extra mile with the creation of a custom KIUC training video.
Is there another renewable energy goal for the utility looming after 2023, like achieving 75% by 2033?
The State of Hawaii has a goal of 100% by 2045.
That was the last question and answer, but it would also be very interesting to know what IT systems are being used on other Hawaii islands by each utility as well, and how they relate to the state’s renewable energy goals.
Image Credit: Paul Bica, Wiki Commons
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