If you’re an EV charger manufacturer or business looking to implement OCPP protocol in your charging infrastructure, read this article for guidance on several key considerations.
Open Charge Point Protocol (OCPP) is a globally recognised and widely adopted communication protocol standard that defines the communication between Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment (EVSE) and the Charge Station Management System (CSMS).
In this article, we will explore the best practices for implementing OCPP in your EV charging infrastructure and how to overcome potential challenges.
Table of contents
Benefits of Implementing OCPP Protocol in Your EV Charging Infrastructure
OCPP offers several advantages for your EV charging system, including:
- Interoperability and Compatibility: OCPP ensures interoperability and compatibility between EVSE and CSMS from different manufacturers. This means EV users are free to move between different charge point operators without having to replace their chargers.
- Secure and Encrypted Communication: OCPP enables secure and encrypted communication between EVSE and CSMS, ensuring that the communication is not intercepted or modified by unauthorised parties.
- Remote Monitoring and Management: OCPP facilitates remote monitoring and management of charging stations, allowing charge point operators to control and monitor their charging infrastructure from a central location
- Real-time Data Exchange and Monitoring: OCPP allows for real-time data exchange and monitoring of the charging process, allowing Distribution System Operators (DSOs) to track energy usage and balance the grid in the local area by adjusting charger outputs at peak times.
Overcoming Challenges
While implementing OCPP protocol offers many benefits, it can also come with some challenges. Some common problems include:
- Device Compatibility Issues: One of the main challenges when implementing OCPP is device compatibility. Not all EVSE and CSMS devices are 100% OCPP-compliant, and this can cause problems in the field.
- Software Bugs: Even with OCPP-compliant devices, there may be software bugs or issues that can affect the EVSE or CSMS, interfering with communications or control.
- Configuration Issues: OCPP is a complex protocol that requires proper configuration to function correctly. Problems can arise if devices are not configured properly or if there are misconfigurations in the OCPP implementation.
By partnering with a company like Versinetic, you can overcome these challenges and be assured that your OCPP implementation is secure, efficient, and up-to-date.
Versinetic’s team of experienced engineers and technical experts can help you design, implement, and maintain an OCPP-compliant EV charging infrastructure that meets your needs and exceeds your expectations.
OCPP Implementation Best Practises
When implementing OCPP in your EV charging infrastructure, follow these best practise steps:
- Choose OCPP-Compliant EVSEs: When selecting EVSEs (Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment), it’s essential to choose devices that are at least OCPP 1.6J-compliant with security profile 2 or 3 support to ensure interoperability and the highest level of security that the standard offers.
- EVSE Custom Options: OCPP allows for customisation of the control and diagnostics allowed. It’s best to pick an EVSE with a suitable amount of settings and reporting to support remote diagnostics and control for your installation environments.
- Check your country’s charging regulations: It is important to check the EVSE satisfies any specific rules and regulations of the country it will be operated in. For example, the UK has smart charging regulations that require specific features on the charger to be available, such as a random delay to start the charger. If the EVSE does not support country-specific features, the charger is not compliant.
- Select a Compatible CSMS: There are now a number of commercial CSMSs available that support OCPP 1.6J with security enabled. However, this only covers communications, and a CSMS has to cover many other aspects of running and controlling a network of chargers (e.g., billing). Therefore, be sure to carefully choose a CSMS that meets your specific requirements.
- Interoperability testing: When both CSMS and EVSE have been selected, interoperability testing can commence, and the EVSE goes through an “onboarding” process with the CSMS, which will test aspects of the charger using OCPP. There are independent tools available to help diagnose issues if they arise.
- Monitoring and Maintenance: Once your OCPP infrastructure is up and running, it’s essential to monitor and maintain it to ensure that it is functioning properly. Regular maintenance and updates will give your infrastructure the best opportunity to remain secure and efficient.
- OCPP protocol is a globally recognised communication protocol standard used in the EV charging industry.
- Implementing OCPP ensures interoperability and compatibility between EVSE and CSMS from different manufacturers, enabling secure and efficient data exchange and monitoring of the charging process.
- Best practises for implementing OCPP include choosing OCPP-compliant EVSEs, selecting a compatible CSMS, installing and configuring OCPP, testing and verification, and monitoring and maintenance.
- Challenges during implementation include device compatibility issues, software bugs, and configuration issues.
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