A grid-compliance feature ensuring that no excess energy, typically from local PV generation (or a stationary battery), is fed back into the public grid. It requires precise power control and measurement of site consumption and generation.

“Zero injection ensures that any surplus solar energy is either stored or curtailed instead of being exported.”

A computer communications protocol providing full-duplex communication channels over a single TCP connection without encryption. Commonly used for real-time data exchange where security is not a primary concern.

"The test setup used a normal WebSocket connection (ws://) to quickly stream charger status updates.”

A secure communication method that establishes an encrypted connection over the internet, enabling remote devices or sites to access private networks safely.

"The support team accessed the load management controller through a VPN connection for secure remote troubleshooting."

A pricing model where costs are determined by the total amount of energy consumed (kWh), rather than peak usage.

"With volumetric pricing, the customer only pays for the energy actually delivered."

The electrical potential difference between two points in a circuit, expressed in volts :V:.

"The charging station supplies power at a voltage of 400 V."

operate independently of specific vendor hardware or software, ensuring interoperability and flexibility for end-users.

vendor-neutral load management platform to integrate chargers from multiple brands."

An organisation responsible for transporting electricity over high-voltage transmission networks and ensuring the stability and reliability of the power system.

"The TSO issued a frequency control signal that the battery energy storage system responded to within seconds.”

A cryptographic protocol that ensures secure communication over a computer network by encrypting data transmitted between client and server, protecting it from interception or tampering.

"All communication between the energy management system and the cloud server is protected with TLS encryption.”

A pricing structure where electricity costs vary depending on the time of day, encouraging consumption during off-peak periods.

"The EV charging schedule was optimised to align with the lowest time-of-use tariff windows.”

A hazardous condition in which excessive heat generation within a battery cell leads to a self-sustaining reaction, causing further temperature rise, potential fire, or explosion. Thermal runaway is a key safety risk managed by the BMS in BESS.

"The BESS enclosure includes thermal sensors to detect early signs of thermal runaway in any module.”

104 interface between the chargers and the telecontroller of the DNO.”

German technical guidelines issued by distribution network operators :DNOs: specifying the conditions and technical requirements for connecting customer installations (such as charging stations or BESS: to the public electricity grid.

"The DNO provided the TAB document outlining mandatory safety and metering requirements before connecting the new charging hub.”

A logical subdivision of an IP network that groups devices sharing the same network prefix, improving organisation, performance, and security within larger networks.

"The EV chargers were assigned to a dedicated subnet to separate their traffic from the office network.”

A fixed maximum power limit is defined for the charging infrastructure; the load management system ensures the sum of charger power stays below this fixed cap, possibly by throttling per charger or postponing sessions.

“The charging hub has a static limit of 500 kW. The chargers share the available limit between them.”

A load balancing configuration where a fixed amount of power is allocated to each charging point, regardless of real-time usage or the number of active sessions. It is simpler but less flexible than dynamic load balancing.

“Static load balancing assigns 11 kW to each charger, even if some are unused.”

battery at a given moment, expressed as a percentage of its total capacity.

dropped to 25% after the vehicle completed its 200 km route.”

An advanced energy meter capable of two- way communication with utility providers, enabling real-time monitoring, remote reading, and dynamic pricing.

"The smart meter allowed the utility to remotely adjust tariffs during high- demand periods."

A Service Level Agreement defining response and resolution times for support services.

“We offer our customers an SLA, to formalise the support they can expect during our partnership.”

This service is running inside the core and is responsible to calculate the available limit for the chargers and handling schedules for the batteries.

“It enables SLM, DLM, battery scheduling, and boosting. In the future itʼll also handle limitations from the DNO and scheduling for chargers.”

site by adjusting charging power or shifting energy usage to match generation.

energy is expensively purchased from the grid.”

A variant of the WebSocket protocol that uses TLS encryption to secure the connection, ensuring data integrity and confidentiality between client and server.

"In production environments, secure WebSocket (wss://) connections are required to protect user data during EV charging sessions.”

framework introduced in 2021 requiring grid- connected power producers and controllable loads, including smaller distributed energy resources, to participate in grid congestion management by adjusting their output or consumption based on DNO or TSO signals.

the BESS had to register as a controllable asset and provide forecast data to the DNO.”

A measure where grid operators change the output of certain power plants or large consumers to relieve congestion or balance the system.

"The TSO ordered redispatch of several power units to avoid overloading a transmission line.”

The portion of electricity that oscillates between source and load without being consumed, essential for voltage control and grid stability.

"The inverter can provide reactive power support to maintain grid voltage within operational limits.”

A technology that converts sunlight directly into electricity using solar panels made of semiconductor materials. A PV installation always consists of at least the solar inverter (to convert DC to AC) and the solar panels (to turn light into current).

"The CPO plans to install PV solar panels on the warehouse roof to offset its EV charging energy consumption."

A device that measures electrical power (kW) flowing through a circuit or system in real time. Most power meters also measure Amperage, Voltage and provide additional information such as power factor and active vs reactive power.

“The power meter recorded a 50 kW draw during simultaneous charging sessions."

A load management technique that temporarily reduces or delays power consumption during peak demand periods to avoid exceeding contractual or physical site limits and reduce demand charges.

“Peak shaving ensures EV charging slows down when building demand approaches its maximum contracted power.”

backend management systems.

An open protocol enabling interoperability and roaming between EV charging networks and service providers.

“Thanks to OCPI, drivers can access multiple charging networks with a single app."

A software component that acts as an intermediary between an EV charging station and a central system, forwarding OCPP :Open Charge Point Protocol) messages. A proxy is often used for message buffering, protocol translation, or adding monitoring capabilities without modifying the original devices.

"An OCPP proxy was set up to route messages from multiple charge points to the backend during the pilot project.”

Charging an EV using standard AC power at low to moderate speeds, typically below 22 kW.

"Overnight normal charging at 11 kW is sufficient for most passenger vehicles to reach full capacity by morning.”

A billing arrangement allowing energy consumers with on-site generation (e.g. solar) to export excess electricity to the grid and offset their consumption costs. Essentially, the meter nets out consumption and production on site.

"With net metering, the site earns credits for unused solar power exported to the grid.”

A lightweight, publish-subscribe network protocol designed for reliable and efficient message exchange between devices, often used in IoT and energy management systems.

"The BESS communicates real-time status updates to the backend using MQTT.”

A variant of the Modbus protocol that operates over Ethernet networks using the TCP/IP protocol suite, enabling faster and more flexible communication between devices without the need for serial connections.

"The BESS controller integrates with the siteʼs Energy Management System using Modbus TCP/IP for real-time data exchange.”

A serial communication protocol widely used in industrial automation and energy systems for transmitting data between devices over RS: 485 or RS:232 networks. It uses a compact, binary format for efficient data exchange in master-slave communication setups.

"The energy meter communicates with the load controller via Modbus RTU over an RS:485 connection.”

controllers, and EV chargers in energy management systems.

An architectural approach where an application is built as a collection of small, independently deployable services, each responsible for a specific function, enabling flexibility, scalability, and easier maintenance.

"The load forecasting function is implemented as a microservice, allowing it to be updated without affecting the rest of the platform.”

A charging standard designed for high-capacity EVs such as heavy-duty trucks, delivering power levels up to several megawatts for ultra-fast charging.

"Future truck depots will adopt the Megawatt Charging System to enable ultra- fast charging of long-haul electric trucks.”

fees or causing power supply constraints.

that calculates and enforces charging power limits across chargers at a site. It runs as a microservice (typically in a container) either on the GATEWAY locally or in the HARMON:E, depending on the deployment model.

A broad energy control strategy that manages and optimizes total power demand across a site or grid connection. It prevents overloads, reduces peak consumption costs, and enables efficient energy use by shifting, prioritising, or limiting loads as needed.

“Our system offers load management to ensure charging demand does not exceed the buildingʼs available capacity.”

dynamically or statically distributes the available electrical capacity among multiple charging stations or circuits. It ensures safe limits are respected while optimising charging power allocation.

charge simultaneously without overloading the siteʼs connection point.”

An international standard defining communication protocols between electric vehicles :EVs: and charging infrastructure, enabling features such as secure authentication :Plug & Charge), smart charging, and bidirectional energy transfer :Vehicle-to-Grid)

"The charging station supports ISO 15118, allowing drivers to use Plug & Charge without RFID cards.”

A unique numerical label assigned to a device connected to a network, used to identify and enable communication between devices. IP addresses can be IPv4 (e.g., 192.168.1.10) or IPv6 (e.g., 2001:db8::1:.

"The support team requested the IP address of the power meter to connect it to the GATEWAY through the local network.”

grids and by most electrical devices.

A market allowing electricity trading closer to real-time delivery, enabling participants to adjust for deviations from day-ahead forecasts.

"Unexpected solar production drops led the BRP to buy additional power in the intraday market.”

An international standard protocol used for telecontrol in electrical engineering and power system automation, enabling communication between control centres and substations over TCP/IP networks.

"The load management system supports IEC 60870:5:104 to exchange real- time grid control signals with the DNOʼs SCADA system.”

for passenger vehicles.

capacity EV batteries.”

A communication antenna that enables wireless data transmission via GSM :Global System for Mobile Communications) networks, often used for remote connectivity to EV charging systems or energy monitoring devices.

"The GATEWAY uses a GSM antenna to send data to the HARMON:E backend via the mobile network.”

A fee imposed by utilities based on the highest level of power drawn (kW) during a billing period, incentivising customers to reduce peak consumption.

"The site's demand charges increased after multiple EVs charged simultaneously at full power."

systems must ensure total site consumption does not exceed this limit.

A condition where electricity demand exceeds the available capacity of power lines, potentially requiring curtailment or redispatching of generation.

"The DNO implemented charging limits due to grid congestion in the local network.”

FLEXECHARGEʼs hardware device that connects charging stations, meters, and other energy assets to the load management platform, enabling real-time data collection, control, and remote configuration.

“The GATEWAY is installed on-site to manage communication between chargers and the cloud platform.”

preventing cascading failures in the power system.

Charging an EV with DC current at power levels typically between 50 kW and 150 kW, significantly reducing charging time compared to normal charging.

"Fast charging stations along the highway allow EV drivers to add 100 km of range in just 15 minutes.”

A device that measures accumulated energy consumption over time, usually expressed in kilowatt-hours (kWh).

"The energy meter showed a total consumption of 1200 kWh for the billing cycle."

Battery Energy Storage System :BESS:, and EV chargers to improve efficiency, reduce costs, and prevent grid overload.

The practice of buying or storing electricity when prices are low and selling or using it when prices are high, often enabled by batteries or flexible loads.

"The siteʼs battery engaged in energy arbitrage, charging overnight and discharging during peak prices.”

vehicle drivers to access, use, and pay for public charging infrastructure.

with a single subscription from an E:Mobility Service Provider.”

The rate of energy transfer or consumption, expressed in kilowatts (kW), calculated as Voltage × Current.

"The station delivers a maximum power of 150 kW."

The total amount of electrical work done or consumed over time, expressed in kilowatt-hours (kWh).

"The EV consumed 75 kWh during the charging session."

A physical setup with the necessary equipment to charge electric vehicles, typically including connectors, power electronics, and communication interfaces.

"The city added 50 new EVCS units to support the growing EV population."

A vehicle powered entirely or partially by electricity, either fully battery-powered :BEV) or plug-in hybrid :PHEV:.

"More EVs on the road are increasing the demand for public charging infrastructure."

Dynamic Load Management is an optimisation concept that actively varies the charging power limit based on other loads (e.g. building consumption). The DLM system monitors the site/building load and allocates “whatʼs left” to EV charging, aiming to better utilise the grid connection capacity.

“Thanks to Dynamic Load Management, the chargers get more power for charging when the building consumption drops.”

A real-time energy distribution method that continuously adjusts the power allocated to each charging session based on site load, vehicle demand, and available capacity. It optimises charging efficiency while preventing grid overload.

“DLB dynamically shifts power between chargers as new EVs connect or disconnect.”

A lightweight, standalone, and executable software package that includes everything needed to run an application, such as code, runtime, libraries, and settings, ensuring consistent performance across different computing environments.

"The Energy Management System runs in a Docker container for easy deployment and scalability.”

An entity responsible for operating, maintaining, and developing the electricity distribution network that delivers power from transmission systems or local generation to end consumers.

"The DNO requested a temporary reduction in EV charging power to maintain local grid stability.”

often used for high-speed EV charging due to its direct delivery to the vehicleʼs battery.

directly to the EV battery."

Electrical signals or ports used to send or receive discrete binary states :ON/OFF, HIGH/LOW: between devices, commonly used for monitoring and controlling equipment in industrial and automation systems.

"The load management controllerʼs digital I/O was configured to detect an external emergency stop signal sent by the DNO."

A network service that automatically assigns IP addresses and other configuration parameters (such as gateway and DNS settings) to devices on a network, simplifying connectivity management.

"Either the GATEWAY or a local router can be set up as a DHCP server, allocating IP addresses to all connected devices.”

DHCP server, allowing it to join a network without manual configuration.

A mechanism allowing consumers to adjust their energy usage in response to grid signals, such as price changes or load balancing requests, to help stabilise the grid and reduce costs.

"The charging hub participated in a demand response program, reducing power draw during high grid stress periods.”

A condition where a battery is discharged below its minimum recommended state of charge, which can lead to irreversible damage, capacity loss, or failure. Preventing deep discharge is critical in battery energy storage systems :BESS:.

"The system is configured to stop discharging the BESS at 15% SOC to prevent deep discharge.”

A device that provides a constant-voltage or constant- current DC output used to power equipment such as control boards, sensors, or our GATEWAY.

"The GATEWAY is powered by a 24 V DC power supply from Phoenix Contact, which is housed in the network cabinet.”

A wholesale electricity market where participants trade power for delivery during each hour of the next day, based on forecasted demand and supply.

"Our energy supplier secured most of the siteʼs electricity needs on the day-ahead market to optimise costs.”

A deliberate reduction in the output of a solar power system, typically due to grid constraints, low energy demand, or overproduction relative to capacity limits.

"The energy management system triggered curtailment to prevent overloading the grid during peak solar production hours.”

distance analog signal transmission.

A measurement of electric current flow in a circuit, expressed in amperes :A:.

"The amperage was limited to 32 A to prevent breaker trips."

The physical interface between the charging station and the electric vehicle through which electrical energy is transferred.

"The EV driver reported a faulty connector that prevented the charging session from starting.”

charging that supports both AC and DC charging through a single connector type.

supports CCS connectors, allowing both AC and DC charging for most European EV models.”

A single physical location that provides EV charging, potentially containing multiple connectors and serving multiple vehicles simultaneously.

"The shopping mall has installed a charging station with four connectors to serve multiple electric vehicles simultaneously.”

A Charge Point Operator, responsible for operating EV charging infrastructure.

“The biggest CPO in Germany operates 1000 charging stations along the high ways.”

A DC fast- charging standard primarily used by Japanese automakers, allowing high- speed charging of compatible electric vehicles.

"This site still offers CHAdeMO connectors to support older Nissan Leaf models requiring that standard.”

using protocols like MQTT, ensuring reliable delivery and decoupling senders from receivers.

consumption— such as when multiple EV chargers operate simultaneously— the EMS discharges the BESS to supplement grid power, keeping the siteʼs power draw below a predefined limit. This strategy helps avoid costly demand charges, prevents grid connection overload, and enables the deployment of more charging stations without requiring an expensive grid upgrade.

at 500 kW and avoiding peak demand charges.

A safety and control software integrated into a battery that monitors and manages parameters such as voltage, temperature, state of charge, and charging/dischargi ng limits to ensure safe and optimal battery performance.

"The BMS prevented charging because one of the cells exceeded the allowable temperature range.”

peak demand, improve resilience, or support renewable integration.

during the afternoon."

An entity that provides balancing services to the transmission system operator :TSO:, such as frequency regulation or reserve capacity, often using flexible assets like batteries or demand response.

"The siteʼs BESS participated in the balancing market as a BSP, earning revenue by providing reserve capacity.”

A market participant responsible for balancing the supply and consumption of electricity within its portfolio, ensuring deviations are minimised and accounted for financially.

"Our energy supplier acts as the balance responsible party, managing deviations between our forecasted and actual consumption.”

typically within 30 seconds to a few minutes.

A set of defined rules and protocols that allow different software applications to communicate and exchange data with each other.

"The energy management platform retrieves grid pricing information via a REST API provided by the market operator."

Services beyond energy delivery that are necessary to maintain reliable grid operation, such as frequency control, voltage support, and reserves.

"The battery provides ancillary services, generating additional revenue streams for the site operator.”

current levels) representing real- world parameters such as temperature, pressure, or power levels.

An electric current that reverses direction periodically, commonly used in household and commercial power supply systems.

"Most residential chargers deliver AC power to EVs, which is then converted by the onboard charger."

The CMI is a microservice that connects the load management system to charging stations via Modbus TCP, acting as the communication layer between chargers and the load management logic.