The Open Smart Charging Protocol (OSCP) isn’t just smart by its name; it’s designed to manage flexible energy resources efficiently, mainly focusing on electric vehicle (EV) charging systems.
Explore why it is super valuable for Distribution System Operators (DSOs) and Charge Point Operators (CPOs).
Table of contents
Industry Overview
As the EV charging industry moves forward, the need for smart charging solutions and managing EV charging becomes increasingly crucial.
There are various protocols and standards on the market. However, the future is leaning towards the benefits provided by OSCP, which will become even more important in the coming years for efficient energy management and charging infrastructure optimization.
Related read: EV charging protocols and standards shaping the industry
Loading ...What is the OSCP Protocol?
The Open Smart Charging Protocol (OSCP) is an open standard for managing electricity distribution among stakeholders in the network of electricity production and consumption. It provides efficient management by the measures of forecasting and regulating the demand and supply.
How it works
The protocol provides flexible energy resource management by setting area limits, balancing demand, reporting usage, and forecasting consumption.
Who’s involved?
The protocol serves as a communication bridge between capacity providers (CPs) and flexibility providers (FPs), facilitating the dynamic management of energy supply and demand.
| Description | Participants | |
|---|---|---|
| Capacity Provider (CP) | A unit that provides energy capacities to FP. | |
| Flexibility Provider (FP) | A unit that controls flexibility resources and provides them to other parties. Communicates with CPs and flexibility resources (chargers, batteries). | |
| Capacity Optimizer (CO) | A unit that analyzes and optimizes energy usage by decision-making based on forecasts, energy prices, energy usage, and more. |
This is an image showing the correlation between all the participants:
By leveraging available capacity, OSCP ensures optimized energy distribution, preventing overloads and promoting sustainable energy use.
OSCP 1.0 and OSCP 2.0 Versions Explained
The OSCP protocol is supported by the Open Charge Alliance (OCA), a worldwide association of EV infrastructure leaders dedicated to open standards in EV charging.
The OSCP protocol offers some really cool features:
- 24-hour forecasting
- adjusting forecasts on intervals
- consumption reporting
- optimizing the forecast
- demanding more energy supply
- discarding the supply
Below are the differences between OSCP 1.0 and OSCP 2.0. The latter usually has additional or enhanced functionalities.
| OSCP 1.0 | OSCP 2.0 | |
|---|---|---|
| Developed in | 2015 | 2020 |
| Technology | SOAP | JSON / REST |
| Functionalities | Focus on smart charging |
OSCP Benefits
Main benefit: Improved energy management
Here are the other benefits:
- Energy allocation: OSCP allows capacity providers to set energy limits for specific areas, ensuring efficient power distribution.
- Demand and supply regulation: The protocol regulates the balance of energy demand and supply between charging areas and capacity providers.
- Meter reading reporting: OSCP enables detailed reporting of meter readings, including energy, power, and amperage, to the capacity provider.
- Energy consumption forecasting: The protocol assists capacity providers in predicting energy use, which aids in managing energy resources and maintaining grid stability.
By optimizing available energy resources, OSCP helps prevent power grid overloads, especially during peak demand times.
Practical Examples of OSCP
We’ll try to illustrate how OSCP works in practice:
Power request process
When an EV starts charging and needs more electricity, CPOs request additional power. If there’s spare capacity, the power provider approves it. Otherwise, if the power isn’t fully utilized, the station can reduce its usage, freeing up resources for others.
Using extra renewable energy
In areas with plenty of solar or wind power, sometimes there’s too much electricity. The OSCP protocol tells the charging station operators about this surplus. They can lower charging costs to encourage more EV charging, efficiently using renewable energy.
Requirements and Future Implementations
As the adoption of EVs continues to rise, the importance of smart charging protocols like OSCP will only grow.
Smart EV Charging: Unlocking Its Full Potential
Implementing this protocol requires a thorough understanding of its operational framework and the roles of different players involved.
This is how the integrations look in Tridens EV Charge:
Tridens is fully aware of the possibilities that the OSCP brings. We’re committed to following the latest trends and market needs – for you!
More amazing projects regarding OSCP implementation are coming soon. Stay tuned!
