Developing Next-generation Cal-Adapt Features to Support Natural Gas Sector Resilience
Cal-Adapt: Providing high-quality visualizations of climate-related factors for energy sector decision-support and planning
The Regents of the University of California, on behalf of the Berkeley Campus
Recipient
Berkeley, CA
Recipient Location
9th
Senate District
14th
Assembly District
$999,980
Amount Spent
Completed
Project Status
Project Result
This project has been completed. The various tools that have been developed during this project include those that display data concerning: Extreme Precipitation, Enhanced Wildfire, and Maps of Projected Change. Hourly Observed Historical Station Data has been made available to support demand forecast calculations. An Extreme Temperature (and wind) Tool was developed to enable users to determine how exceptional a given observed event is based on historically observed hourly meteorological station data.
The Issue
Energy sector operations, management, and planning require best-available and peer-reviewed information on projected climate and weather-related risks to maintaining safe, reliable, and affordable energy. California's energy infrastructure, including facilities and pipelines that store, transmit, and distribute fossil gas, is vulnerable to extreme weather events that may differ significantly from historical records as a result of changes in our climate.
Project Innovation
UC Berkeley's Geospatial Innovation Facility (GIF) developed the Cal-Adapt web application to provide new visualizations of locally relevant climate-related risks to the entire gas system. Cal-Adapt is an online platform that provides gas system stakeholders with actionable information through interactive, compelling, and useful visualizations and tools. These tools support users in their processes to identify areas in the state that are potentially at risk from climate-related factors based on data developed during California's Fourth Climate Change Assessment.
Project Benefits
This project provides crucial, actionable information on climate-related risks to gas storage and distribution infrastructure. California is a global leader in addressing climate change and in developing energy policies that strive to conserve resources, protect the environment, and safeguard public health, while also providing reliable and cost-effective energy to ratepayers. The enhancements to Cal-Adapt described here can help the energy sector to meet its important climate, energy, air quality, and other environmental goals while also maintaining safe, reliable, and affordable energy for California. The CPUC's proposed decision in its Adaptation Rulemaking (R.18-04-019) refers to Cal-Adapt as a source of acceptable data for investor-owned utilities to use in climate change vulnerability assessments.
Reliability
This project supports gas sector planning, management, and adaptation to climate change. Climate change is expected to impact California's fossil gas and energy infrastructure through projected increased temperatures, sea level risk, wildfire risk, and severe droughts. Preserving reliable, safe, and cost-effective operations in the face of a changing climate requires integration of projected climate and weather-related parameters into decision-making.
Energy Security
A critical facet of the energy sector is the ability to protect ratepayers from service interruptions and larger potential service failures from climate-related events such as heat waves or sea-level rise. By being able to identify locations that may be at risk from sea-level rise or extreme events, the energy sector (particularly gas utilities) will be better prepared to safeguard vulnerable populations and ratepayers.
Key Project Members
Nancy Thomas
Subrecipients
ICF Resources, LLC
Eagle Rock Analytics, Inc.
