Analysing Energy Usage within Head Office – Peak Processing

Company Information

Peak Processing Ltd are a company based in Wroxham specialising in seismic processing and interpretation of marine geophysical data. We also run a small data centre which gives us an increased demand for power. Earlier in the year we upgraded our power systems to provide significant battery storage capacity primarily to provide a backup in the event of problems with the national grid, but also to allow us to reduce our overall carbon footprint.

We have been upgrading the way that we consume energy from the grid trying to avoid the peak hours where demand is higher and green energy is limited through battery storage. Some solar panels are also in operation, although these are currently never sufficient to keep up with the usage demand.

Geophysical seismic processing and interpretation – by using data collected from survey ships and processing it to enhance its quality, it is then interpreted for oil and gas, windfarm, or cable route purposes to aid in their installation

Project Overview

Peak Processing Ltd operates a head office and a small data centre with significant energy demands. The company has invested in upgraded power systems, including battery storage and solar panels, to improve resilience to grid outages and reduce overall carbon footprint.

This project focuses on analysing how energy is used within the head office, using monitoring data from existing systems. The findings will help improve understanding of energy demand, usage patterns, and opportunities for optimisation.

Project Aim

To analyse energy usage within the Peak Processing head office, using monitoring data and modelling to understand annual cycles of energy consumption and production.

Key Research Questions

• How is energy consumed across different systems within the head office?

• How does energy usage vary over daily and annual cycles?

• How do battery storage and solar generation affect grid energy use?

• How might energy usage be managed to reduce peak demand and carbon impact?

What You Will Do

• Carry out desk-based research into energy usage and monitoring systems

• Work with the IT department to access and extract energy monitoring data

• Develop a dashboard to visualise energy consumption and generation

• Analyse energy data to identify patterns, trends, and inefficiencies

• Use modelling to explore annual cycles of energy use and production

• Adapt project outcomes based on insights gained from analysis

Science, Engineering and Technical Understanding

• Analysis of electrical energy consumption

• Interpretation of time-series data

• Understanding energy storage, generation, and demand

• Modelling system behaviour over time

Planning and Organisation

You will plan your work in stages, manage time effectively, justify analytical decisions, and document how challenges were identified and addressed.

Skills Developed

• Engineering and problem solving

• Research and data analysis

• Working with monitoring systems and dashboards

• Independent working

• Communicating technical findings clearly

Final Outputs

• A written report

• Energy usage dashboards and visualisations

• Analysis of daily and annual energy usage patterns

• Evidence-based conclusions and recommendations

• A final presentation summarising finding

Reflection and Evaluation

Your report could include:

• Evidence-based conclusions

• Discussion of assumptions and limitations

• Reflection on learning and project development

• Consideration of how the project could be improved or extended

https://www.peak-processing.com/

https://www.crestawards.org/resources/crest-gold-student-guide