Flex-o-Mat
Peak shaving for commercial kitchens
What is Flex-o-Mat?
Is it possible to find solutions to the lack of power and grid capacity by changing conventions in commercial kitchens? Yes, it seems so!
In the Flex-o-Mat project, property owners and school kitchen companies are cooperating to investigate the un-explored potential for peak shaving in school kitchens. The project is carrying out measurements in school kitchens, including testing how a change in operating patterns and behavioural changes in the kitchens can reduce power peaks. During autumn of 2022, possible technical solutions for peak shaving was investigated.
Read more about different areas of the Flex-o-Mat project below:
The kitchen screen in Tiunda school.
Results from Flex-o-Mat
In the beginning of 2023, measurement data collected prior to the project's initiation and measurement data collected during the course of the project were analyzed. For instance, we examined how energy consumption and the occurrence of power peaks differ before and during the project when the same meal is prepared. We also investigated how energy consumption and power peaks appear before and during the project over a week. Data from before and after the installation of the new power management system, Sicotronic, were also examined.
Reduced power - good for everyone!
Did you know that it is possible to cook on reduced power through already existing functions on the ovens?
Measurement data from Flex-o-Mat
Today, effect data is collected from several school kitchens in the Uppsala region. The effect data is provided through Sveriges dataportal and at Energiportal Region Uppsala. To increase awareness of power usage in the kitchens, an application in Tiunda school has been tested that later will be used in several other school kitchens. During the autumn, possible technical solutions are investigated. Find measurements from school kitchens below, the number of meals prepared by the kitchens is listed in each link.
Links to measurement data:
Technology for peak shaving is being tested in three school kitchens in Uppsala
The image shows measurements from Tiunda School (2500 portions) on December 9, 2022, where the Nobel Lunch was prepared using 50% of the power with the help of the power management system from Sicotronic. The red color indicates avoided load.
The kitchen staff does not experience any negative impact on their tasks in the kitchen when using the system from Sicotronic. The kitchen staff describes that they do not notice the power management system handling power peaks that occur.
Why is peak shaving so important?
Today, more electricity is used than ever before and with increased electrification in society, the demand for electricity is growing, which causes a lack of power and capacity in the electricity grid. The use of electricity often coincides at certain times of the day which causes power peaks that strains the electricity grid. If the power peaks were evened out, the capacity in the electricity grid would increase. Today, however, many businesses are lacking solutions that enable power equalization, for example in commercial kitchen businesses.
By raising the question that concerns the lack of power and capacity in the electricity grid and spreading information and knowledge generated through this project, Flex-o-Mat aims to ensure that more businesses implement impact equalization in their work. The project also brings together commercial kitchen businesses, property owners and electrical consultants and enables collaboration on power issues.
For further questions or if you want to learn more:
Information about the project, contact Fredrik Björklund: fredrik.bjorklund@stuns.se.
Questions to Måltidsservice, contact Sandra Harbom: sandra.harbom@uppsala.se.
The project is runned by STUNS Energi in cooperation with Skolfastigheter, Måltidsservice in Uppsala municipality and CIT Energy Management. The project is funded by the Swedish Energy Agency.
