Inputs Needed
- Completed list of resilience gaps from Action 1 in the Solution Development module
- List of resilience gaps characterized by gap type and resilience attribute impacted
- List of similarities identified between gaps
Outputs
- List of solutions that address known resilience gaps
- Mapped resilience solutions to specific critical loads (or all, if a site-wide solution)
Overview
This action provides an approach and several examples for considering potential resilience-enhancing solutions to address the resilience gaps analyzed in Action 1 of this module. This approach is intended to help identify solutions that will enhance the resilience of and reduce risk to energy and water systems that support critical functions and loads. This action is intended to brainstorm a comprehensive list of solutions that are not yet limited by feasibility, costs, or priorities. Additional analyses will be conducted in the Solution Prioritization module.
In-Depth
This action is intended to help the resilience planning team develop a comprehensive suite of resilience solutions that address resilience gaps identified throughout the TRN. The resilience planning team will need to use the gap analysis to identify solutions that address individual or multiple gaps. They should review the broader resilience priorities documented in the Site-Level Planning module when identifying solutions to ensure that these considerations are incorporated into the list of solutions generated here. Solutions should also be brainstormed around meeting the energy and water demand of critical functions during a disruption (e.g., onsite battery storage and water tanks) for the expected outage duration determined in the Risk Assessment module.
Solution Brainstorming
Identifying solutions is an iterative process that includes multiple rounds of brainstorming and input from relevant stakeholders due to the complexities and interactions between resilience gaps and potential solutions. Stand-alone solutions may address only one gap, while more comprehensive solutions can address multiple gaps.
Resilience Attributes
Gaps can be addressed by applying solutions that address different resilience attributes. Solutions brainstormed as part of the TRN process should possess at least one attribute that enhances resilience (e.g., redundancy, resourcefulness, robustness, and/or recovery). The resilience planning team should identify solutions that meet these resilience attributes and revisit the broader resilience priorities that were documented during the Site-Level Planning module to ensure the solutions that have been identified will help the site achieve those objectives.Solutions should be identified for each gap and personnel with working knowledge of energy and water systems should be engaged in the process. Often, the best solutions come from staff who have in-depth knowledge of specific systems (i.e., facilities managers who maintain HVAC and backup generators on a regular basis).
Stakeholders are prompted to brainstorm solutions to resilience gaps from multiple angles:
- Solutions addressing each resilience attribute: redundancy, resourcefulness, robustness, and recovery
- Solutions addressing each type of gap: operational, institutional, and technological
- Solutions to gaps with similarities (e.g., geographic).
Examples of solutions that address gaps by category to help generate ideas can be found in TRN Resource: Solution Examples.
All solutions developed during the brainstorming process should be documented in the Solution Development Action 2 worksheet so that the resilience planning team can revisit the comprehensive set of solutions at various points within the planning process. Each solution should identify which critical loads are impacted by the proposed solution; if a site-wide solution, then all critical loads previously identified would be impacted.