Anchor points on becoming Charge Point Operator. Click to learn more.

After founding Solidstudio, Pawel was an originator in terms of pursuing expertise in eMobility. With the build-up of a solid knowledge-base on industry’s needs & wants, he now keeps a close eye on products’ development. He’s also hugely responsible for the business’ side and designs the business models for our products.

Paweł Małkowiak

The e-mobility market is booming but still enigmatic in terms of processes between market participants or taken roles and available standards. In general, we can distinguish two sides of the charging ecosystem - being on the user-side eMobility Service Providers and Charge Point Operators providing devices and software to manage the infrastructure. In this piece, we address the part of the market responsible for deploying and managing charging points (also called charging stations).

Charge Point Operator or Charging Station Operator is responsible for providing, managing, and setting the charging infrastructure for the e-mobility industry. A CPO business operates a network of charging points - the hardware devices and future-oriented software. The value lies in connecting smart charging equipment with eMobility Service Providers. A CPO assures the network works seamlessly. This includes diagnostics, maintenance, price setting, and Point of interest (POI) data management.

On the operators' side is to provide available, steady, and 24/7 functioning EV chargers. Managing systems need to real-time report any malfunction that occurs with the device. And if possible, automatically fix it.

The matter of real-time also applies to software platforms. Necessary information delivery for adequate decision-making will help to shape operations, business, and technical statistics analysis. Even when the service does not assume the large scale, automation is the core in reducing the Total Cost of Ownership (TCO). Automated processes should hassle-freely handle transactional and technical concerns without engaging employees.

Charging Stations require sufficient energy supply and distribution. Smart management during peak hours, involving renewables and storing battery power, reduces capital and operating costs. Identifying areas for cost optimization and investigating user’s expectations will help balance business processes. This market will continue to grow, for now, with a focus on segmentation, preferences, and habits, the hidden (greener) Holy Grail is possibly up to grasp.

How does the Charge Point Operator platform work?

First, we need to explain that an Operator’s role range may vary. In some cases, CPO owns the infrastructure, provides connectivity, and can supply only one side of the ecosystem. Some of the CPOs act like 

 . Since it’s a mutual interest, they offer other eMSPs access to the charging infrastructure.

To explain the charging ecosystem’s general flow, let’s place CPO as a separate service - hardware and software provider. In this scenario, CPO exposes access to the charging network and relies on eMSPs.

CPO exposes charging network with tailored API. In this scenario, each new linking with a partner follows the provided documentation and matches eMSPs API. This approach is time-consuming and limiting in terms of fast integration and scaling. Via custom API, we link two models and two teams working separately. The matter lies in the charging options provided, and the service eMSP wants to offer. The integration via custom API takes months. Assuming that each operator offers only integration via its API, connecting with each requires substantial resources and time.

However, there are two faster ways to connect and open the charging network.

 follow the general principle in the e-mobility world, providing an open and accessible network to EV drivers. Charge Point Operator can expose charging network to any eMSP in a standardized way, enabling faster integration and scaling. With Open Charge Point Interface (OCPI), managed by 

 , the linking between partners can be done within several days. Open Standards, besides, provide transparent information to consumers about charging locations and prices. Moreover, they are developed and updated by a strong community 

following technical innovations and market requirements

 . Also, as a part of the ultimate goal, Open Standards are free to use. By simplifying, standardizing, and harmonizing charging networks, standards are an integral part of rapid e-mobility growth.

With one contract owned Charging Stations become exposed to thousands of new users and eMobility Service Providers. Thanks to the Open Intercharge Protocol (OICP), integration with a hub like GIREVE or Hubject opens the broadest spectrum of possibilities. E-roaming networks are the desired state of EV charging cross-border arrangement.

Being integrated with a hub does not limit the other possibilities. Charge Point Operator’s platform can be exposed at the same time to the hub, and eMobility Service Provider via the most commonly applied (and supported) OCPI standard.

What are the Charge Point Operator platform’s features?

At the most basic level, every Charge Point Operator platform should provide via admin panel pricing, reporting and billing solution, remote charging stations management, and smart energy management.

The comprehensive backend system allows CPO to 

 for the charging session. Rates can be modeled and verified at the admin panel. The charging session’s price can be specified on the total charged kilowatt-hours, the duration, or a blend of other circumstances (additional parking fee, time & day of the week). The B2B contract between CPO and eMSP includes all tariffs and is invoiced at the end of the billing period. The price that is exposed to the final user (EV owner) depends on the individual eMSP price management system.

, CPOs should easily handle all station-related administration and control tasks. The admin panel should provide a view of the billing history, modify charging prices, remote management of chargers, and with advanced automation resolve common issues.

 allows to reduce the risks of the station and network overload, ensure EVs are charged securely and economically optimized. The highest charging switch can be limited from the admin panel. For example, developing a feature for dynamic load management (DLM) allows setting maximum capacity for several charging points and diffuses the load within the single one.

How can Charge Point Operators optimize their business?

Focus on operational advantage, staying up-to-date with the most recent protocols’ releases, smart energy administration, monitoring, and analyzing will provide excellent scalability and interoperability. The reliable charging infrastructure management system, easy to maintain and open for eMSPs boosts network scaling and ROI. In turn, an e-roaming platform exposes charge points in the fastest and most efficient way. Fortunately, one approach does not eliminate the possibility of benefiting from the other. However, responsibility for the maintenance of charging points remains on the CPO's side. Automation and the ability to make quick, ideally remote fixes, responsiveness will have a significant role in the prosperity of one's performance.

Direct and indirect recipients of CPO services depend on the availability of the entire operational infrastructure. This includes real-time hardware monitoring to identify and fix malfunctions before the beneficiary - or even the CPO - is aware of them. Automated maintenance reduces costs of in-field technical repairs.

It’s good to make sure the CPO platform offers smart energy management control. The entire energy flow across the EV charging system secures energy that is delivered at the right time to the right stock at the lowest cost.

The ability to scale is critical to keep up with the booming growth of the EV market. It’s not just about placing devices in an accessible locality but also about providing back-end infrastructure ready to connect with new partners and render the service.

For long-term operations, interoperability will be essential. On the CPO side lies the responsibility for delivering the 

 , allowing easy integration of any charger. Compatibility with protocols and standards like OCPP, OCPI, OICP secures smooth backend operations’ communications.

When considering investing in Charging Infrastructure, the above issues are worth verifying whether the available solutions on the market meet our expectations. Depending on the scale of the planned activity, our needs will differ.

How to efficiently manage interoperability?

Charge Point Operators are the foundation of the eMobility growth. Analyzing and improving EV charging operations leads to better decision-making. In consequence, it maximizes business profits and eliminates unnecessary costs ensuring the best EV charging experience. Regarding investments, this varies based on which market we plan to operate in. Both governmental plans and local units support the development of charging networks. Thus it is worth spending time and finding out what are the possibilities and criteria for obtaining subsidies. The shape of the budget may be subject to modification, and new approaches may arise.

With the advantage of having e-mobility experts, at Solidstudio we took on board the daring challenge of developing a CPO platform on our own. Knowing the industry's nuances, we made sure that the product we developed would suit a whole plethora of needs that various clients may search for. Thus, our CPO platform can be installed either in any client’s infrastructure or as supported by Solidstudio.

Our platform comes with various necessary functionalities that concur to an effortless charging stations management. The core features consist of:

There are more functionalities planned, they will be gradually announced.

 is fully customizable, ready to be designed as per client’s requests. Supplementary features (which are not within the license, such as the new standards implementation) can be available to purchase as an add-on or upgrade.

Checklist - Core CPO platform requirements

Trust is a must. Especially in running e-mobility business. Here is why.

Being an eMobility leader in various projects across multiple startups, Piotr was responsible for OCPI and OCPP integration as well as EMP and CPO platforms development. With extensive expertise in the open standards field and eMobility tech solutions, he is leading teams of experienced developers and contributing with invaluable knowledge and experience.

Piotr Majcher

Having spent over two years developing various components for one of our e-mobility partners I want to share some insights on how to cope with challenges, what to expect from IT partners when developing e-mobility components and how testing various approaches can lead you to some of the breakthroughs.

Before you start, whether you are an aspiring Charge Point Operator or e-Mobility Service Provider, here you can find some valid questions, worth answering: Is there a ready-to-apply business model for long-term prosperity in the e-mobility segment? What return could be expected for now and in the future? What in-house skills are needed and what other partners require for revenue growth? Could technology and data analytics enable the business to provide ‘smart’ solutions? If yes, how? Where is the industry heading to and what are long-term goals?

What we face now, in the era of uncertainty, is another ‘revolution’ dictated by the exhaustion of fossil fuel resources, environmental pollution, and hence the transition to green energy. The EV market, especially in Europe, is growing fast and we face the increasing need for accessible, charging infrastructure, green energy demand, and a change in consumers’ behavior. With a rapidly rising demand for investment, we have a common ground - require a change in consumer habits. Even with rapid-charging technology (50kW+), charge time takes 20 to 30 minutes to reach 80% of battery capacity. But a well-known benchmark - refueling petrol or diesel experience is still out of reach. It seems that there is still a long way to go to achieve full flow, yet without constant development and improvement of the accessible infrastructure, we won't be able to move forward. Providing consumers the multitasking opportunity for rapid EV charging, whether combined with retail sites or bespoke charging 'lounges', together with a shift from a top-up (as opposed to refuel) mentality will be necessary to aid mass adoption.

Below you can find some thoughts on obstacles you may find while developing an e-mobility platform, what to take into consideration while creating a workflow, and what to expect when you start your venture into unexplored areas.

Creating a valid data model from the beginning will be a huge time-saver

Late changes to the data model are time-consuming. MVP or initial variants of the software cover all the basics. When the system does not require a sophisticated model of the charging infrastructure it may be enough to shape the whole charge point as a flat structure. Upon this simple model, more features can be built, till your range grows, and a need to open the platform using some open standard comes up. This action requires mapping development between the internal model and the one introduced by the standard. If the existing model does not support concepts (e.g. Location and Evse) and does not follow general standards, when it comes to the format of IDs, it might demand plenty of work to perform the efficient mapping.

While working for one of our partners, mapping their existing codebase to make it available for open standards, for a team of developers took several months. In fact, if the model would match the standard from the beginning, the integration would require just a simple action, and full integration would be possible within a few weeks.

Lesson learned from this experience: The time for full integration can be significantly boosted (reducing a few months of integration to a few weeks) thanks to the implementation of a ready-made code sequence linking the standard and the platform. Once the standard is properly applied, further action will become smooth and easy.

Creating an efficient architecture of the system from the start prevents many bad decisions

Some aspects of system architecture are specific to the domain. For example:

deciding which processes are synchronous and which are asynchronous

the decision of whether or not some data must be immutable

Understanding incremental improvements and having in mind that not every single aspect can be predicted is crucial. However, knowing the domain certain aspects can be included early in the design process.

Lesson learned from this experience: General concepts, but taking into account these limitations from the very beginning helps to avoid making wrong decisions when designing and developing the e-mobility platform.

Knowing the details of adopted standards is the shortest way to success

OCPI is defined as an open standard. In theory, everyone ought to introduce this standard in the same way.

Lesson learned from this experience: OCPI is not always the norm. Hub Gireve, for example, extends this standard. Some concepts exist and are not part of the OCPI documentation. Some OCPI partners require a certain sequence of specific actions that are actually not part of the standard. It is worth knowing this upfront when designing the CPO/eMSP end system.

The domain knowledge provides you with solving individual cases

Having the domain knowledge within the development team allows participating in specific direct business conversations about e-mobility. Becoming familiar with general concepts, e-mobility background (CPO, eMSP/EMP, EVSE, eMI3 ID, OCPI, OICP, OCPP), ubiquitous language, different market approaches (public/private/fleet charge points), we can immediately proceed directly with the specific business issues that are to be done, rather than technical details (as a reliable tech partner we already know them).

Lesson learned from this experience: We have learned that getting to know a specific area takes time, but once explored, it allows us to catch common parts. The observations turned into concrete e-mobility solutions, thus are an improvement for the future. Combining domain knowledge with high-level technical skills provides quick integration and unlocks business processes.

It might sound a bit cliche, but without having great, skilled, and curious minds on board I cannot say that the progress we witnessed would be possible.

Lesson learned from this experience: In addition to specific technical skills, in such projects where many questions are asked and actions require a constant search for efficient e-mobility solutions, the spirit of a truly matched team of individuals appears.

Knowing the challenges from the scratch, making observations, and drawing conclusions for the future on how we could boost integration, we have spent a couple of weeks developing ready-to-integrate components for Open Standards. Full e-roaming is possible to achieve faster.

 – The component being an Anti Corruption Layer between any CPO/eMSP system and any OCPI partner (hub like Gireve and p2p partners like other CPOs and eMSPs). The component has the whole OCPI registration process modeled with the token-based security mechanism. It maps all OCPI calls to the internal backend API (this part is open for modification for the concrete backend system).

 – The component and test suite allowing to execute e2e tests of the platform using OCPI protocol. Testing OCPI allows a complete test of bidirectional processes that are part of OCPI.

 – The component is an OCPP server being able to connect to the charge point using OCPP (2.0.1) protocol. It is a proxy for the whole communication between the charge point and the CPO backend system.

 – The component is a software Charge Point that allows e2e testing and monitoring of the CPO platform.

Soon our work will be done with this extra e-mobility component:

When life gives you lemons… it is up to you whether you choose to make a lemonade or order the lobster tail. If you have any concerns while developing your e-mobility platform, need advice, or wonder which directions to take when setting up your next goals feel free to reach out. Here you can find some experience and knowledge, as well as ready-to-implement e-mobility solutions.

e-Mobility partnership – lessons worth to know

How to design and develop the eMobility Service Platform to manage interoperability?

When operating on the e-mobility market or considering becoming an eMobility Service Provider, the key is to identify and design the right flow. In this article, as a group of professionals developing such concepts, we want to share a verified methodology. This supports the setup of key components of major importance while developing a secure, stable, and functional eMobility Service Platform. We have already tested these principles and decided to share our insights, hoping some might find them helpful.

When deciding to operate in a booming e-mobility market, apart from doing extensive research - and taking the first necessary steps toward a feasibility study, it’s worth adopting some good, tested, and proven practices.

One of the efficient methods that prove that the solution will serve is 

. It’s the concept, widely used in IT, that helps organize the structure and language of software code matching the business domain. To develop the notable outcomes, there's Event Storming to offer a helping hand.

Note: Individual event names may differ (it's more of a naming issue), but the workflow’s general idea is always followed.

 , to generate a widely appreciated service, you need to set in the center the final user’s needs. Keep that in mind while Event Storming. The general idea is to think about each step that needs to happen seamlessly to the subsequent one. And how each must be secured to ensure the entire flow is stable and smooth. Before you start the discovery process, make sure all the participants are familiar with the methodology and necessary tools are provided. This will help develop a final roadmap for a proper eMobility Service Platform and guarantees a smooth flow of the workshop. You’ll need:

sticky notes in five various colors, it’s up to you which colors to choose

a large surface for modeling (e.g., A large sheet of paper taped to the wall works well)

step-by-step view of the process on an extra board for a clear overview of the Event Storming process

a lead person (facilitator) who will keep the entire process running smoothly

a group of people representing various domains, e.g., business, IT, marketing

The workshop can also be attended remotely. When the conditions do not allow participants to gather together in one place, the workshop can be conducted by distance. You can use a tool like miro in the digital variant - an online visual collaboration platform for teamwork that will solve the markers, post-its, and surface puzzle. The digital approach can also be seen as more environmentally friendly since we can create and edit each piece online without wasting paper. After all, the Event Storming outcomes must be digitalized, so the digital tool may be a good idea. Whichever variant you choose, each approach - remote or stationary - will be efficient.

Now briefly, let's clarify the roles of individual components.

Each color represents a different area. This is why diverse colors will help visually and logically picture particular subject areas. ‘True’ Event Storming purism 

 the colors for you, here we suggest the following:

Orange color - is used at the first step to define each event that should happen on the path to accomplishing the operation. Note: Events should always be described in the past tense, e.g., Invoice was generated, Charging has stopped.

Yellow color - used at the second stage of the storming to define ‘actors’ - people involved in an event or process. The goal is to recognize if external involvement is needed, e.g., Portal user, Support team member.

Purple color - being used at the third stage of storming, representing the system, external or internal, involved in the process. The objective is to highlight external involvement. e.g., Third-party API, Billing system.

Red color - represents the next step taken in the process - defining hot spots - indicating the lack of precise knowledge, doubts, or bullet points - a spot of disagreement between participants. The objective is to mark areas that need deeper insight, e.g., automatic price calculation, events order.

Green color - identifying opportunities - to specify areas where something works well and could be improved or space for fast growth. It can be a good support for the hotspot cards (red color), demonstrating a problem-solving approach, e.g., applying 

The lead person (a facilitator) guides participants through the process, keeps everything in order, and groups into aggregates.

The storming group - representatives of various areas: business, development, and marketing. The more diverse the group is, the outcome might be richer. Note: it’s not about the quantity, but rather the quality. And by quality, we mean the representation of different areas of business. The good idea is to make sure the most influential and knowledgeable people on the studied topic are invited. They are supposed to have some domain expertise (but seen from various perspectives). In this particular case, the idea is to meet IT requirements with business-related goals to provide an efficient, stable eMobility Service Platform.

Brainstorming: should take about 10-20% of the time, it is suggested to give participants ca. 15 minutes for individual work. Break: 5-10 minutes.

Verifying the ideas and backward walkthrough: about 60-80% of the time. You can make a short break about 5-10 min. between verifying ideas and backtracking events. Identifying Hotspots, commands, and actors: max 5-10% of the time.

Depending on the project’s size, in this particular case, working on eMobility Service Platform Functional Requirements, the Event Storming should take +/- one hour.

The actual storming phase starts when all needed components are set. The Lead (facilitator) should do a brief introduction to ensure all participants understand the following steps and outcomes. When it comes to brainstorming the eMSP, our outcome will be a service platform offering easy and secure access to the charging infrastructure. This is why the information board should be provided and handily arranged for the group.

In this phase, each participant defines events - all the steps that sequentially have to happen to complete the action. In our case, it will be to describe the user’s path to use a service - to charge an EV successfully.

Note: Participants should be familiar with the user’s profile - an EV owner who needs to charge the vehicle smoothly.

The Brainstorming starts with a brief individual defining. This should be a round of 15 min. Separately, all partakers are intended to distinguish the required steps. The aim here is not to specify each step, rather gather all interactions necessary for the flow.

After Brainstorming, the Lead (facilitator) asks each participant to present individual outcomes. This is the part when the group forms together with the roadmap. Identified steps can (and should) come up repeatedly. That’s ok. It shows common parts recognized individually. It also indicates that the group was selected properly and is familiar with the general idea of the flow that needs to be shaped. At this stage, because our team is diverse, each described actions may vary, depending on what area is represented. That’s perfectly fine.

Having formed the initial roadmap, the facilitator takes charge. With the storming group, the duty is to do the actual verification. A vital part of event storming, when developing an idea, is to begin from the end and backtrack event by event to check if no significant action was overlooked. The general scheme for backtracking is asking such questions:

What has happened before X?
Is X a consequence of Y?
Is there something more happening between X and Y?

Post-its in yellow, purple, red, and green color will be needed for the following steps.

Step three: identifying red spots, defining commands and actors

By analyzing and stepping back, the Lead (facilitator) with the group ask repetitive questions, like ‘are we sure this is all we need to complete the action?’, ‘is this step secured?’, ‘how will it be secured?’, ‘are there any other options available?’, ‘how do we want to handle the billing - externally or internally?’. The objective is to identify three areas:

Hotspots (here we suggest using red post-its - from a psychological point of view, red color is one of the most visible colors in the spectrum, has the ability to grab people’s attention instantly, hence is often used to warn of impending danger. For a good reason, the term ‘red flag’ is used to indicate warning signs)
When developing an idea, it’s good to indicate areas for improvement strongly. In our case, enhancing the emerging platform, to know what might be concerning. The sooner such areas are mapped out, the more time and resources will be saved when developing the project. If we identify a considerable number of such spots, it may also be a signal to consider engaging external agencies with specific domain expertise.

Commands & actors will need 2 extra post-it colors to mark commands like ‘execute payment,’ ‘issue invoice’, and actors, simply defining if the external or internal system is responsible for the command execution. This step helps decision making and provides extra insight into our roadmap. At this stage, we consider which parts of the process will be executed by our system and which will be on the side of e.g. CPO or payment system.

Having defined all requirements, the last step is to identify which area might be the biggest issue (causing the most problematic - interfere with the smooth flow of the overall manner, e.g., calculating the price, storing the CDR, executing the critical step when the process failed ‘no-show payment.’ At this point, again, each participant defines the area which they feel is a contentious one).

Note: Additionally, while identifying hotspots, commands, and actors, opportunities might be spotted. When we acknowledge we have the know-how or already witnessed similar issues and solved them, we can point out these opportunities, e.g., Areas where we can apply automation, or use a well-working, already tested solution (taking this step, you’ll need an extra post-it color).

When the Event Storming is done, it’s time to digitize the outcome. A well-conducted storming session should result in a roadmap, providing a sharp picture of what we want to achieve, obstacles we may encounter, and areas where we can recognize some opportunities.

Note: a key to reach any complete roadmap is to define at the beginning a clear goal. People tend to lose track when the scope is not specified enough. This helps to avoid the occurrence of insignificant events. This also explains why Event Storming needs a good Lead (facilitator). Keeping an eye on the storming’s smooth flow, focusing on a language, asking specific questions, detecting significant details and unclear aspects (e.g., marking hotspots), forming the main path and sidetracks.

The event is done, participants are tired but also satisfied after being creative, collaborative, and effective. After the storming, the domain architect steps in to discover and validate the subdomains.

Determining emerging subdomains cannot be omitted. There are dozens of heuristics and techniques for developing, and none of them are universal. Here are a few worth mentioning: company structure, domain expert division, domain expert language, business value, business process steps.

Event storming shapes our process, clarifying each step that must be taken to complete the session. As mentioned initially, on top of our service is the final user - an EV driver. Having the storming session done, subdomains defined, and the Big Picture, we can move more confidently to the next steps of the eMSP platform development. Successful execution of such a Storming Event will allow you to build a feasible timeline, identify areas that may be challenging, and help better estimate the financial outlay. In consequence - design and develop the eMobility Service Platform and drive interoperability.

Note: when having doubts about whether you will be able to carry out such workshops on your own, you can ask for guidance from an agency focusing on designing and conducting such events or a partner specializing in software development and domain support.

Psst! On the right, you can spot a box - drop your e-mail to check and verify a key eMSP Platform Functional Requirements.

eMSP planning and development

Open standards can be a game changer for both eMSP's and CPO's. Here is why.

The initial stages of technologies lead to various types of solutions addressing the same problem. Each company develops a different approach. At the beginning of the XXth century, when commercial electricity had come to the mainstream, multiple energy producers offered power supply with miscellaneous frequencies and voltages. As time passed, governments began to impose certain standards on suppliers. This standard-setting led to the joint effort to create the first power grid.

From the first power plant to the moment when all energy providers linked to the same network, decades passed. This was only possible because they took a mutual direction.

 - literally and figuratively. With global warming, exhaustion of solid fuel resources, and lifestyle changes, companies face the challenge of how to provide accessible new charging forms of green power.

Now, as the e-mobility era is here, we are on the same page, like we were at the very beginning of the XXth century. We already have plenty of providers: eMobility Service Providers (eMSP) and Charge Point Operators (CPO) - two substantial sides of the e-Mobility world. One of the main challenges ahead of this market is to deliver the best user experience, at possible minimum resources use. As usual, user experience is a matter of well-designed apps, customer support, and simplicity itself. But there is an additional fact. End-users need to be able to charge cars at any charging station without being concerned about accessibility. The issue is - having the contract signed with the Charge Point Operators recharging point service. How to achieve this? Partners must take the same course, and this is where the standards start to play a major role. There are two possibilities: Open Charge Point Interfaces or Open Intercharge Protocols. What are the benefits?

The main goal of the Open Charge Point Interface (OCPI) is to allow electric vehicle drivers to charge their cars at any station. OCPI defines a set of modules that cover most cases the driver may need. There are two technical modules that are used to establish connectivity between two platforms using OCPI: Credentials module and Versions module. Other modules are strongly related to real-life use cases. These would be:

Locations - module responsible for sharing information about the Charge Points, like address, geolocation, real-time data about the current status, electrical parameters.

Sessions & Commands - module allows the end-user to start the charging session and be informed about the current status of the charging session.

OCPI is an open standard, and what may be very important for the adopters - it’s very flexible. For instance, CPOs (Charge Point Operators) may implement only the Locations module (apart from two technical mandatory modules) when only sharing Point Of Interest data. With no necessary exposing the eRoaming functionality. But the ultimate goal for many CPOs is to allow end-users to charge their car. In that case, many more modules need to be implemented (Sessions, Commands, CDRs). Some others are optional, even for the eRoaming (Tokens, Tariffs), and that depends on the agreement between certain allies. It’s in terms of how financial flow and security is modeled.

The biggest advantage of having OCPI implemented is that it’s almost a one-time investment. The initial effort is significant, as it might be challenging to transfer internal models and processes to the OCPI. But once it’s done for a partner, it opens the company for quick and cost-effective integration with a lot of other associates.

A bit different concept is proposed by the Berlin-based innovative company - Hubject. Hubject developed its own API (OICP) covering almost the same cases as OCPI. There is one extra. Hubject also acts as a hub. It connects CPOs and eMSPs. Once a company is connected to the Hubject platform, it becomes open for integration with any other comrade being already assigned. That’s a huge advantage because the integration is done once, with one platform, and of course it becomes profitable when it comes to an alliance with multiple partners.

Yet another advantage of the Open Intercharge Protocol is that it’s quite easy to implement. Like with most protocols, the main challenge is to synchronize our internal models with the standard one. What is comforting with OICP - there is not too much to implement. It depends on the level of integration we want to achieve, but it’s enough to implement about 5 HTTP calls to expose eRoaming through the Hubject platform.

Having in mind multiple historical examples, it may be difficult to be a part of a developed market without following widely adopted standards. Initially, it may need some additional effort. But when the standard is implemented, our platform becomes open for the whole market 

. Without it, we would need to spend weeks or months doing the integration with each partner separately.

How to become Charge Point Operator and manage the CPO platform?

11 FEBRUARY 2021 • 10 MIN READ