OCPP ( Open Charge Point Protocol ) is an application layer protocol for organizing communication between electric transport charging stations and a central control system, also known as a charging station network, similar to cellular phones in a cellular communication network [1] [2 ] ] .
The protocol is an initiative of the Dutch organization E-Laad. Its goal is to create an open application protocol that allows charging stations and control systems of different manufacturers to communicate with each other. This protocol is used by many manufacturers around the world [3] .
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Benefits of OCPP
Owners of charging stations become less dependent on specific equipment suppliers: if one manufacturer ceases to exist, the owner can switch to another. Providing greater freedom of choice and flexibility to use any network with any charging station will allow, thanks to market mechanisms, to push equipment manufacturers and network providers to fight for prices, quality and innovations, which will increase demand. As a result, due to the expansion of the charging infrastructure, electric transport drivers gain significant benefits [4] [5] .
OCPP also makes it easy to scale and create networks using a set of different charging stations, as Requires a single operating system. Supporters of OCPP, in addition, mention the reduction in development costs due to the fact that the creation of software that implements additional features will be required once. Finally, compatibility will improve, the cost of system integration will be minimized [4] .
OCPP in the US
Today, OCPP is not as widely accepted in the US as in Europe and Asia, because the US market has gone through a number of large grants from the US Department of Energy, allowing providers to choose their own protocol. The fact that most providers are also manufacturers of charging stations has caused incompatible infrastructures to compete with closed communication protocols.
The U.S. Department of Energy made grid compatibility a priority in 2013. A new center was created aimed at harmonizing the work of electric vehicles, charging stations, communication systems and network systems with an electric network: the Center for the compatibility of electric vehicles and smart power networks , located in the Argonne National Laboratory near Chicago [6] .
Notes
- ↑ Welcome to the Open Charge Alliance . Ocppforum.net. Date of treatment October 12, 2013.
- ↑ Flexibility and OCPP unopened (inaccessible link) . EV Connect (August 5, 2013). Date of treatment October 12, 2013. Archived October 3, 2013.
- ↑ Open Charge Point Protocol & OCPP Organization . Greentransportation.info (August 8, 2013). Date of treatment October 12, 2013.
- ↑ 1 2 Open Charge Point Protocol OCPP . Infrastructure.switchev.co.uk. Date of treatment October 12, 2013. Archived October 14, 2013. .
- ↑ EVConnect ( inaccessible link) . California Energy Commission. Date of treatment October 12, 2013. Archived October 15, 2013.
- ↑ Energy Department Partners with EU on Electric Vehicle and Smart Grid Coordination | Department of Energy . Energy.gov (July 19, 2013). Date of treatment October 12, 2013.