OCPP within Zaptec

OCPP (Open Charge Point Protocol) is an open protocol that enables seamless communication and management of the EV charging infrastructure, irrespective of the EVSE manufacturers or type of charger (AC or DC).

The main use cases for OCPP:

Remote connectivity and management of charging stations
Authorisation and paying for charging
Smart Charging and Load Management
Working well with other protocols such as ISO 15118 (enabler to Vehicle-to-Grid services (V2G) & Plug&Charge)

Understanding Zaptec's OCPP Integration Options

Zaptec provides two distinct OCPP integration models for managing your charging systems: OCPP 1.6J (Box-Level) and OCPP Cloud. Each model offers different functionalities and is suited for different use cases.

1. OCPP 1.6J (Box-Level Integration)

This model, also known as box-level OCPP, establishes a direct connection between the individual charging station and a third-party Charge Point Operator (CPO) or Central System Management Software (CSMS).

Key Features:
- Smart Charging: It fully supports the standard OCPP 1.6J Smart Charging profiles, allowing the CSMS to control the charging schedule and load.
- Direct Management: The CSMS has direct control over the charger's functions.
Limitations:
This integration does not support Zaptec's proprietary and more advanced phase and load balancing features. This means that while you can manage individual chargers, you lose the sophisticated, system-wide energy optimization that Zaptec's ecosystem provides.

Read more on OCPP1.6J

2. OCPP 1.6J Cloud (Cloud-to-Cloud Integration)

The OCPP Cloud model is a cloud-to-cloud integration designed to leverage Zaptec's powerful energy management capabilities while still allowing for third-party authentication.

Key Features:

Advanced Load Balancing: This model includes Zaptec’s proprietary phase and load balancing, which dynamically manages power across the main circuit (with Zaptec Sense) and between multiple chargers in an installation.
Real-time Energy Management: Zaptec's cloud platform handles all real-time energy management, ensuring optimal power distribution and preventing overloads.
Simplified CPO Role: In this setup, the role of the CSMS/CPO is focused solely on user authentication, this integration is mainly aimed at external payment operators, methods required for session management and payment are implemented while the complex task of energy management is handled by Zaptec.
Limitations:
This integration does not support any of the standard OCPP Smart Charging profiles. All smart charging and energy management are handled exclusively by the Zaptec cloud.

Read more on OCPP1.6J Cloud

Which Integration Should You Choose?

Feature	OCPP 1.6J (Box-Level)	OCPP Cloud
Primary Use Case	Direct third-party CSMS control with standard smart charging, Core profile ,FirmwareManagement, LocalAuthListManagement, Reservation, SmartCharging and RemoteTrigger read more	Advanced, system-wide load and phase balancing managed by Zaptec. Core profile, Local Authorization List Management Remote Trigger and Reservation
Smart Charging	✅ Supports standard OCPP Smart Charging profiles.	❌ Does not support OCPP Smart Charging; handled by Zaptec Cloud.
Load & Phase Balancing	❌ Does not support Zaptec's advanced balancing features.	✅ Full access to Zaptec's proprietary load and phase balancing.
Energy Management	Handled by the third-party CSMS.	Handled in real-time by the Zaptec Cloud.
CPO/CSMS Role	Full charger management and authentication.	Authentication only.