Asset Management on a Bushfire Prone Network Geospatial Analysis - Understanding the Past, Present and Future

Historically Network Service Providers (NSP’s) have sought engineering solutions for asset protection. The risks from anthropogenic change now looms as the greatest influence in the management of network assets. Trees grow, decline and change over time and directly impact on how we now manage risk and seek new solutions for powerline asset protection. Endeavour Energy and NM Group have worked together to understand the dynamics of vegetation on this large, dispersed electricity distribution network. The innovative project used spatial analysis and sophisticated model building to combine multi-temporal LiDAR data with a dozen other sources including historical meteorology, vegetation work patterns and actual observations of tree fall. Cloud processing enabled the massive processing of these datasets and the creation of localised models which described where vegetation was situated, how fast it was growing towards powerlines and the potential hazards posed by individual trees based on a predictive index. The results enabled the improved targeting of ongoing inspection, trimming and tree removal works and ultimately help minimise cost and better manage network risks.

Download the presentation addendum - Understanding the past, present and future of vegetation risks on a bushfire prone electricity network with geospatial analysis.

ABOUT THE SPEAKER

Scott McKenzie - Vegetation Manager at Endeavour Energy

Three decades of studying Australian native vegetation, Scott McKenzie has developed, managed, and taught a range of conservation/risk-based programs throughout Australia. Specialising in NSW environmental legislation and risk-based modelling, Scott has co- authored a range of papers including ‘Understand the past, present and future of vegetation risks on a bushfire prone electricity network with geospatial analysis’, Endeavour Energy’s ‘Hazard tree identification course’ and has been a technical reviewer for the industry safety standards (NSW) including bushfire risk mitigation. In 2018 Scott collaborated with Network Mapping Group to develop a risk-based model to identify hazard trees and optimise vegetation maintenance cycles using multi-temporal LiDAR technology.