OCPP - All you need to know
The growing number of electric vehicles (EVs) around us requires a proper charging infrastructure. It’s important that charging stations from different providers are compatible with the various e-mobility service providers. Such compatibility means that users can charge their EVs at any charging station, because the charging station communicates with the service provider. Charging stations run on software, which the owner uses to manage access and set tariffs, among other things. It makes sense to choose charging stations that can communicate with all service providers. That offers the possibility of installing a charging station anywhere regardless of the local service provider.
One of the components contributing to charging station compatibility is the Open Charge Point Protocol (OCPP). This blog offers answers to the following questions:
- What is the OCPP?
- When are charging stations OCPP-compliant?
- What are the benefits of OCPP?
- What is the importance of an OCPP test?
What is the OCPP? (Open Charge Point Protocol)
OCPP is a protocol detailing how communication should occur between charging stations and the service provider’s back office. This back office is also known as the Charging Station Management System (CSMS). The service provider manages the CSMS. OCPP standardises that communication. Are charging stations OCPP compliant? That means they can communicate correctly with the back office (CSMS), even if the charging station belongs to another supplier.
OCPP was established by the Open Charge Alliance in 2009 and is an open protocol. That means anyone can use it. It has since become the global benchmark for EV charging station interoperability.
When are charging stations OCPP-compliant?
Charging stations are only OCPP-compliant only if both the hardware (the charging station itself) and the software comply with the full OCPP 1.6 specification. There are also companies that opt for a closed network. This means their charging stations only work with their own software, and that they can only communicate with their own back offices (CSMS).
What can occur is that a charging station is mistakenly considered to be OCPP-compliant. The software is based on the OCPP specification and can communicate well with its own back office. But when this same charging station is connected to another supplier’s back office, the incorrect software implementation becomes apparent and an EV may not be able to charge.
Before the OCPP protocol existed, charging networks were closed and had no ability to switch to another service provider. Users had to buy a new charging station instead. Fortunately, this is no longer imaginable. The number of software providers offering OCPP continues to grow, allowing us to use the best-suited software at every location.
When are charging stations OCPP-compliant?
Charging stations are only OCPP-compliant only if both the hardware (the charging station itself) and the software comply with the full OCPP 1.6 specification. There are also companies that opt for a closed network. This means their charging stations only work with their own software, and that they can only communicate with their own back offices (CSMS).
What can occur is that a charging station is mistakenly considered to be OCPP-compliant. The software is based on the OCPP specification and can communicate well with its own back office. But when this same charging station is connected to another supplier’s back office, the incorrect software implementation becomes apparent and an EV may not be able to charge.
Before the OCPP protocol existed, charging networks were closed and had no ability to switch to another service provider. Users had to buy a new charging station instead. Fortunately, this is no longer imaginable. The number of software providers offering OCPP continues to grow, allowing us to use the best-suited software at every location.
What are the benefits of OCPP?
The main advantage of OCPP is that charging stations from different vendors will communicate correctly with all the back offices of the different service providers. OCPP also has other benefits:
- Flexibility
Do you need additional services not offered by your current supplier? OCPP gives you the flexibility to switch to another supplier.
- Plenty of options
The market is growing and the number of options available for both hardware and software is increasing. So, you are increasingly likely to find the best-suited solution.
- Control over your finances
Is your grid operator raising its prices? Then switching to another supplier is as easy as ABC.
What’s the importance of an OCPP test?
Do you want to market charging stations and/or associated software? Then it’s vital to ensure that they are OCPP-compliant. Among other things this ensures that a vehicle receives the right amount of power. And that customers pay in accordance with the correct energy tariff.