What Is OCPP? Why Does It Matter for Charging Stations?

What does OCPP stand for?

OCPP stands for Open Charge Point Protocol. It is the open, standard communication language between a charging station and the central software that manages it (the CSMS, Charging Station Management System). Being an open standard means you can connect your device to any management system that supports OCPP, rather than being locked into a single vendor's software. Thanks to this protocol, the charging station and the management software speak a common language; operations such as monitoring, starting and stopping, billing and updating are all carried out over this communication. In short, OCPP is the common language that lets your charging device talk to the software world.

Why should I buy an OCPP-compatible device?

An OCPP-compatible device lets you connect to any charging management system you choose, without being tied to a single vendor's closed software, and that protects your investment. A device that isn't OCPP-compatible is bound to the manufacturer's closed system, and if that company drops support or raises prices, you're left with no options. An OCPP-compatible device, by contrast, can be moved to any management system you like. It also unlocks capabilities such as remote monitoring and management, billing and authorisation via RFID or app, remote firmware updates, load management that keeps multiple stations balanced, and roaming across different networks. That's why OCPP compatibility matters for vendor independence.

Do Bemis devices support OCPP?

Yes, Bemis's smart models are built OCPP 1.6J compatible and can connect to open charging management systems. OCPP 1.6J is the most widely used version today, and because it is JSON-based it works with many management systems. This lets Bemis devices connect seamlessly to the open charging ecosystem, so you can use features such as remote monitoring and management, billing and authorisation via RFID or app, remote firmware updates and load management. Thanks to OCPP compatibility, you can connect your device to any CSMS (Charging Station Management System) you choose without being tied to a specific vendor's closed software, protecting both flexibility and the long-term value of your investment.

What does OCPP do?

By connecting your charging station to a central management system, OCPP unlocks a wide range of capabilities. With remote monitoring and management you can view the station remotely, start and stop charging, and receive fault notifications. By identifying users via RFID or an app, you can enable billing and authorisation per use. You can update firmware remotely without physically visiting the device, and use load management to run multiple stations in balance without straining the grid. Roaming also makes shared access across different charging networks possible. All of these operations run over the open OCPP communication between the station and the management software.

What is the difference between OCPP 1.6J and OCPP 2.0.1?

OCPP 1.6J is the most widely used version today and is JSON-based; because it is compatible with many charging management systems, it connects seamlessly to the open ecosystem. OCPP 2.0.1 is a newer version that adds advanced security and smart-charging features. Both versions provide the open communication between a charging station and its management system; the key difference is that 2.0.1 offers additional security and smart-charging capabilities. Because of its broad compatibility, 1.6J remains the most preferred version. Since Bemis devices are built OCPP 1.6J compatible, they connect easily to existing open management systems.