Case Study
Argent Energy
Learn how Argent Energy connected two European production sites into a single dataPARC platform, breaking process data out of the control room with role-specific dashboards and unlimited organization-wide access at no per-user cost.
Background
Argent Energy is one of Europe’s leading producers of waste-based biodiesel. With manufacturing sites at Stanlow and Amsterdam, the company converts waste streams into high-quality biodiesel, helping road transport operators across Europe significantly reduce their carbon emissions.
Biodiesel production at this scale is technically demanding. Argent Energy’s plants run a combination of batch and continuous processes. Managing quality, throughput, energy efficiency, and equipment reliability across both process types, at two geographically separate sites, requires real-time data that is accurate, accessible, and actionable.
“dataPARC has given us easy and powerful insights into our biofuel production sites, underpinning our process and reliability improvements”
Ben Oliver — Group Engineering & Maintenance Manager, Argent Energy
Argent Energy’s Pain Points
The sites’ process visualization rely entirely on the Process Control System (PCS7). While essential for controlling the plant, the PCS is not designed for analysis, cross-departmental use, or root cause investigation. This created limitations in operational visibility across the business:
- Limited process visibility – Operators and engineers had no easy way to view, compare, or trend data across process areas. Insights were locked inside the control room.
- Manual, fragmented reporting – Batch performance data was scattered across systems with no automated way to bring it together. Operators had no single view of how a batch moved through the process, making it difficult to spot trends or compare runs.
- Disconnected data sources – Lab results, tank farm levels, boiler performance, and production figures all lived in separate systems with no unified view.
- Reactive operations – Enhanced real-time time monitoring capabilites were needed to support faster operational response for more proactive operations.
- Improve remote visibility – Centralizing access to live operational data would allow off-site management and corporate teams to move away from manual reporting processes.
The dataPARC Solution
At Argent Energy, dataPARC connected all key data sources across both sites: Biomass Boilers, Tank Farms, Corporate Historians, Data Warehouses, and Siemens PCS7 Control Systems. dataPARC’s standard downtime tracking system was implemented, giving operators a structured reason-tree to log and categorize every stoppage.
Custom dashboards were built for every level of the organization: operators monitor live process trends and receive smart alerts for deviations; engineers drill into root causes using historical data; management tracks KPIs and energy metrics in real time from any location. The implementation was delivered by dataPARC’s EMEA team in close partnership with Morson Praxis, who provided specialist OT integration expertise on-site.
“The project at Argent Energy didn’t just bring dataPARC a new customer, it brought us a strong partner. Through this collaboration, we’ve delivered not only a powerful solution but true service excellence.”
Results and Impact
dataPARC fundamentally changed how Argent Energy uses its operational data — reducing reliance on manual reporting with a shared, real-time picture of plant performance across both sites.
- Full process transparency – All data sources unified — Biomass Boilers, Tank Farms, Historians, PCS7, visible to everyone who needs it.
- Batch reporting & performance visibility – A custom Excel Add-in-based batch sheet collates all data for a single batch into a single row as it moves through the system, giving operators an instant, complete picture of batch performance.
- Continuous & batch data, side by side – Continuous process data is surfaced alongside batch-specific data in the same report, closing the gap between the two process types that runs throughout operations at Argent Energy.
- Batch & continuous visibility – Both process types tracked, trended, and analyzed side by side for the first time.
- Multi-level dashboards – Board-level KPIs, engineering trend analysis, and operator process views, each audience gets what they need, automatically.
- Remote data access – Corporate and management teams view live plant data from any location, ending dependence on manual reports.
- Sustainability reporting – Energy consumption automatically captured and trended, supporting Argent Energy’s decarbonization goals.
Key Benefits
Batch Reporting
Batch performance is now automatically collated and reported in a single view. Every batch tells its full story, process data, quality indicators, and continuous context, without anyone having to pull it together manually.
Faster Root Cause Analysis
When a process deviation occurs, engineers immediately pull historical trends across all connected sources to find the cause. What previously took hours now takes minutes.
Sustainability Reporting
Energy consumption data is automatically captured and trended — supporting the manufacturer’s ESG commitments and sustainability targets.
Enterprise Visibility
From the control room to the boardroom, every stakeholder works from the same live data. No more outdated reports — decisions are grounded in operational reality.
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Argent Energy Case Study
Download the case study to see how Argent Energy connected two international biodiesel sites into a single dataPARC platform, breaking process data out of the control room with role-specific dashboards and unlimited organization-wide access at no per-user cost.
