Pasta, Pancakes and Power Peaks

Uppsala is growing, and with it the need for electricity. During certain times of day, the Uppsala electricity grid is struggling to meet power demands, and so it is desirable to decrease the amount of power consumed during these peaks. The Tiunda school kitchen contributes significantly to these power peaks, and while there was power data available for the school as a whole, there was no data on the use of which kitchen appliances was causing its power peaks. To help the Tiunda school kitchen even out its power consumption, this thesis explores the use of an application to make staff more aware of their power consumption, as well as collect data on their use of kitchen appliances. The application presents a live graph of the school's total power consumption, and staff click on a map to indicate when appliances are being used. Interviews with staff showed that the application has improved staff's awareness of kitchen power use, and the data collected through the application has potential to inform future strategies to even out power peaks. While staff sometimes found it difficult to remember clicking, teamwork was identified as facilitating the application's use. Combined with other interventions, the application can help address the Tiunda school kitchen's uneven power consumption and, with modifications, also that of other kitchens