OpenADR: a bridge between electric vehicle fleets and energy systems

However, there is a downside to this wave of electric cars, especially in the U.S. The electric grid was built for electricity consumers a century ago, not for modern life, and already looks decrepit and outdated. The transition to electric vehicles poses unique challenges to the electric grid. It is a sudden and significant increase in unpredictable and fragmented demand. Electric car fleets may be involved in grid congestion or be unable to recharge their batteries.

This is where Open Automated Request Response (OpenADR) comes in.

What is OpenADR?

The OpenADR Alliance defines OpenADR as a system that uses dynamic pricing and reliability signals to automate and simplify disaster recovery and DER in the energy industry, enabling end users to change usage patterns, save money and improve energy efficiency while optimizing and improving energy efficiency. Smart grids improve the efficiency of electricity supply. This definition is rather opaque, but we intend to analyze it. The first step is to define Demand Response (DR) and Distributed Energy Resources (DER).

DR & RES

Disaster Recovery Technology allows organizations to reduce energy consumption during an event. This includes automatically turning off lights when everyone gets home and pre-cooling work areas so they are not affected by sudden power consumption. In many cases, these systems can be customized to each user's preferences. For electric vehicle fleets, this includes automatically changing vehicle charging times to charge the battery during periods of low demand. This saves fleet owners money and reduces the strain on the electric grid.

RES, on the other hand, are small, structured sources of electricity located near where energy is used. They provide a replacement or improvement for the traditional power grid (which, as mentioned, is not suitable for today's loads, let alone future ones). In general, EDRs are faster and cheaper than conventional power plants and high-voltage lines.

OpenADR in action

Once this is found, it is much easier to create what OpenAdr does: OpenAdr can be considered a kind of global translator between end users (drivers and manufacturers), charging stations, and electrical systems. Usually, these systems cannot communicate with each other in a way that is convenient for most users; OpenAdr not only changes this but also helps make powering more efficient and effective.

In particular, when combined with the Open Charging Protocol (OCPP), it can help maintain the network and allow electric vehicle fleets to remain flexible and adaptable without the need for human intervention. OpenAdr can even turn fleets into assets.

Benefits of OpenADR

The benefits of OpenAdr are numerous. It has already leveraged some of the ways in which networks can be useful by making them flexible and customizable. It also helps states recover more reliably from natural disasters, reduce the need for large, expensive energy systems, and meet emissions reduction targets.

On the user side (including electric vehicles), it makes systems opaque and easy to interact with, avoids liabilities to privately owned systems, and gives users the ability to control costs and maximize value by adjusting their energy use. They may even benefit from reduced peak demand.

OpenADR and electric vehicle fleets

OpenAdr's flexibility and intuitive user interface allow electric vehicles to avoid creating problems for a congested grid. In the future, problems with the network could lead to higher costs during peak demand. In the case of electric vehicles, this means that flexibility and adaptability can help drivers and fleet owners save money by avoiding peak demand periods.

But that's not all: Open Charge Alliance notes that by combining OpenADR and OCPP, electric vehicle fleets can become active assets and use and adapt to grid problems. To do this, they act almost like a battery. Instead of draining the grid, electric vehicle fleets can be plugged into the grid at peak times to provide power to the grid. There could be financial incentives for this, since solar power could offset the cost of electricity.

This would not be possible without the conversion provided by OpenADR (and OCPP) between electric vehicles and energy sources.

From threat to a solution

Electric car fleets pose a threat to the already overburdened U.S. grid, but with OpenADR this threat could become a boon as the grid becomes more flexible and adaptable, allowing cars to function like batteries. It may even benefit electric car owners financially. However, since Open Charging Point Protocol (OCPP) is an important part of ensuring an efficient interaction between the vehicle and the vehicle software, it is difficult to fully harness this power if the vehicle is not equipped with Open Charging Point Protocol (OCPP). 

OpenADR is an innovative solution to a problem.