Future-proof charging infrastructure: Precise load control via OpenADR

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The Mobility House Team

September 24, 2020

Estimated reading time: 2 minutes

The future of mobility is electric. But the environmentally friendly and quiet electric cars need to be recharged before the journey. To ensure that charging is fast and safe and is seamlessly integrated into the local energy supply, countless processes run in the background. Open and standardized interfaces between the vehicle, charging station and back-end and energy management systems guarantee that the charging infrastructure can grow and constantly improve in line with the increasing success of electric mobility. And that a future-proof charging infrastructure is guaranteed. Reason enough to dedicate a comprehensive series to these invisible helpers.

In a blog series, The Mobility House, the technology company and solution provider for everything to do with charging, explains which interfaces are important for the market and what is generally important to know and observe.

The fourth part is about OpenADR - the open cloud-to-cloud communication protocol.

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Precise load control via OpenADR

The smart grid standard OpenADR (Open Automated Demand Response) is an emerging, open cloud-to-cloud communication protocol that enables energy suppliers and grid operators to transmit control signals to intelligent devices such as smart meters or load management systems via an Internet connection. Demand Response, the adjustment of loads in response to the current demand for electricity, is considered essential for stabilizing supply networks. One advantage of OpenADR is that it communicates directly with individual consumers or offtake points.

The increasing importance of OpenADR is also evident from the fact that this communication protocol is becoming the mandatory standard in certain areas, such as the Hamburg and Norderstedt grid area.

In contrast to the established ripple control technology, which sends a signal via the power lines to the entire grid, OpenADR also allows individual network connection points to be controlled via its cloud interface.

Efficient use of infrastructure

The smart grid standard OpenADR (Open Automated Demand Response) is an emerging, open cloud-to-cloud communication protocol that enables energy suppliers and grid operators to transmit control signals to intelligent devices such as smart meters or load management systems via an Internet connection. Demand Response, the adjustment of loads in response to the current demand for electricity, is considered essential for stabilizing supply networks. One advantage of OpenADR is that it communicates directly with individual consumers or offtake points.

In contrast to the established ripple control technology, which sends a signal via the power lines to the entire grid, OpenADR also allows individual network connection points to be controlled via its cloud interface.

The Mobility House & OpenADR

ChargePilot®, the  Charging and Energy Management system from The Mobility House, supports OpenADR as well as IEC standards 60870-6-104 and 61850, which offer a very similar range of functions for intelligent and cost-efficient load control. After a reduction signal, ChargePilot® distributes the still available power between different charging stations as efficiently as possible in order to meet all mobility needs despite the reduction.