5.3.9. OCPP2.0.1 Module

This module implements and integrates OCPP 2.0.1 within EVerest. A connection to a Charging Station Management System (CSMS) can be established by loading this module as part of the EVerest configuration. This module leverages libocpp, EVerest’s OCPP library.

The EVerest config config-sil-ocpp201.yaml serves as an example for how to add the OCPP201 module to your EVerest config.

5.3.9.1. Module configuration

Like for every EVerest module, the configuration parameters are defined as part of the module manifest. OCPP2.0.1 defines a device model structure and a lot of standardized variables that are used within the functional requirements of the protocol. Please see Part 1 - Architecture & Topology of the OCPP2.0.1 specification for further information about the device model and how it is composed.

For this module, the device model is configured separately in a JSON format. This module initializes the device model based on the configuration parameter DeviceModelConfigPath. It shall point to the directory where the component configuration files are located in two subdirectories:

• standardized

• custom

The device model setup from libocpp serves as a good example. The split between the directories only has semantic reasons. The standardized directory usually does not need to be modified since it contains standardized components and variables that the specification refers to in its functional requirements. The custom directory is meant to be used for components that are custom for your specific charging station. Especially the number of EVSE and Connector components, as well as their variables and values, need to be in line with the physical setup of the charging station.

Each device model component is represented by a JSON component config file. This config specifies the component and all its variables, characteristics, attributes, and monitors. Please see the documentation for the device model initialization for further information on how it is set up.

To add a custom component, you can simply add another JSON configuration file for it, and it will automatically be applied and reported.

5.3.9.2. Integration in EVerest

This module leverages libocpp https://github.com/EVerest/libocpp, EVerest’s OCPP library. Libocpp’s approach to implementing the OCPP protocol is to do as much work as possible as part of the library. It therefore fulfills a large amount of protocol requirements internally. OCPP is a protocol that affects, controls, and monitors many areas of a charging station’s operation though. It is therefore required to integrate libocpp with other parts of EVerest. This integration is done by this module and will be explained in this section.

For a detailed description of libocpp and its functionalities, please refer to its documentation.

The manifest of this module defines requirements and implementations of EVerest interfaces to integrate the OCPP communication with other parts of EVerest. In order to describe how the responsibilities for functions and operations required by OCPP are divided between libocpp and this module, the following sections pick up the requirements of this module and implementations one by one.

5.3.9.2.1. Provides: auth_validator

Interface: auth_token_validator

This interface is implemented to forward authorization requests from EVerest to libocpp. Libocpp contains the business logic to either validate the authorization request locally using the authorization cache and local authorization list or to forward the request to the CSMS using an Authorize.req. The implementation also covers the validation of Plug&Charge authorization requests.

5.3.9.2.2. Provides: auth_provider

Interface: auth_token_provider

This interface is implemented to publish authorization requests from the CSMS within EVerest. An authorization request from the CSMS is implemented by a RequestStartTransaction.req.

5.3.9.2.3. Provides: data_transfer

Interface: ocpp_data_transfer

This interface is implemented to provide a command to initiate a DataTransfer.req from the charging station to the CSMS.

5.3.9.2.4. Provides: ocpp_generic

Interface: ocpp

This interface is implemented to provide an API to control an OCPP service and to set and get OCPP-specific data.

5.3.9.2.5. Provides: session_cost

Interface: session_cost

This interface is implemented to publish session costs received by the CSMS as part of the California Pricing whitepaper extension.

5.3.9.2.6. Requires: evse_manager

Interface: evse_manager

Typically the EvseManager module is used to fulfill this requirement.

This module requires (1-128) implementations of this interface in order to integrate with the charge control logic of EVerest. One connection represents one EVSE. In order to manage multiple EVSEs via one OCPP connection, multiple connections need to be configured in the EVerest config file.

This module makes use of the following commands of this interface:

• get_evse to get the EVSE id of the module implementing the evse_manager interface at startup

• pause_charging to pause charging in case a TransactionEvent.conf indicates charging shall be paused

• stop_transaction to stop a transaction in case the CSMS stops a transaction by e.g. a RequestStopTransaction.req

• force_unlock to force the unlock of a connector in case the CSMS sends a UnlockConnector.req

• enable_disable to set the EVSE to operative or inoperative, e.g. in case the CSMS sends a ChangeAvailability.req. This command can be called from different sources. It therefore contains an argument priority in order to override the status if required. OCPP201 uses a priority of 5000, which is mid-range.

• set_external_limits to apply power or ampere limits at the EVSE received by the CSMS using the SmartCharging feature profile. Libocpp contains the business logic to calculate the composite schedule for received charging profiles. This module gets notified in case charging profiles are added, changed, or cleared. When notified, this module requests the composite schedule from libocpp and publishes the result via the Provides: ocpp_generic interface. The duration of the composite schedule can be configured by the configuration parameter PublishChargingScheduleDurationS of this module. The configuration parameter PublishChargingScheduleIntervalS defines the interval to use to periodically retrieve and publish the composite schedules. The configuration parameter RequestCompositeScheduleUnit can be used to specify the unit in which composite schedules are requested and shared within EVerest.

• set_get_certificate_response to report that the charging station received a Get15118EVCertificate.conf from the CSMS (EV Contract installation

for Plug&Charge)

The interface is used to receive the following variables:

• powermeter to push powermeter values of an EVSE. Libocpp initiates MeterValues.req and TransactionEvent.req for meter values internally and is responsible for complying with the configured intervals and measurands for clock-aligned and sampled meter values.

• ev_info to obtain the state of charge (SoC) of an EV. If present, this is reported as part of a MeterValues.req

• limits to obtain the current offered to the EV. If present, this is reported as part of a MeterValues.req

• session_event to trigger StatusNotification.req and TransactionEvent.req based on the reported event. This signal drives the state machine and the transaction handling of libocpp.

• iso15118_certificate_request to trigger a DataTransfer.req(Get15118EVCertificateRequest) as part of the Plug&Charge process

• waiting_for_external_ready to obtain the information that a module implementing this interface is waiting for an external ready signal

• ready to obtain a ready signal from a module implementing this interface

5.3.9.2.7. Requires: connector_zero_sink

Interface: external_energy_limits

Typically the EnergyNode module is used to fulfill this requirement.

This module optionally requires the connection to a module implementing the external_energy_limits interface. This connection is used to apply power or ampere limits at EVSE id zero received by the CSMS using the SmartCharging feature profile.

This module makes use of the following commands of this interface: * set_external_limits to apply power or ampere limits at EVSE id zero received by the CSMS using the SmartCharging feature profile.

5.3.9.2.8. Requires: auth

Interface: auth

Typically the Auth module is used to fulfill this requirement.

This module requires a connection to a module implementing the auth interface. This connection is used to set the standardized ConnectionTimeout configuration key if configured and/or changed by the CSMS.

This module makes use of the following commands of this interface:

• set_connection_timeout which is e.g., called in case the CSMS uses a SetVariables.req(EVConnectionTimeout)

• set_master_pass_group_id which is e.g., called in case the CSMS uses a SetVariables.req(MastrPassGroupId)

5.3.9.2.9. Requires: system

Interface: system

The System module can be used to fulfill this requirement. Note that this module is not meant to be used in production systems without any modification!

This module requires a connection to a module implementing the system interface. This connection is used to execute and control system-wide operations that can be triggered by the CSMS, like log uploads, firmware updates, and resets.

This module makes use of the following commands of this interface:

• update_firmware to forward a FirmwareUpdate.req message from the CSMS

• allow_firmware_installation to notify the module that the installation of the firmware is now allowed. A prerequisite for this is that all EVSEs are set to inoperative. This module and libocpp take care of setting the EVSEs to inoperative before calling this command.

• upload_logs to forward a GetLog.req message from the CSMS

• is_reset_allowed to check if a Reset.req message from the CSMS shall be accepted or rejected

• reset to perform a reset in case of a Reset.req message from the CSMS

• set_system_time to set the system time communicated by a BootNotification.conf or Heartbeat.conf messages from the CSMS

• get_boot_reason to obtain the boot reason to use it as part of the BootNotification.req at startup

The interface is used to receive the following variables:

• log_status to obtain the log update status. This triggers a LogStatusNotification.req message to inform the CSMS about the current status. This signal is expected as a result of an upload_logs command.

• firmware_update_status to obtain the firmware update status. This triggers a FirmwareStatusNotification.req message to inform the CSMS about the current status. This signal is expected as a result of an update_firmware command.

5.3.9.2.10. Requires: security

Interface: evse_security

This module requires a connection to a module implementing the evse_security interface. This connection is used to execute security-related operations and to manage certificates and private keys.

Typically the EvseSecurity module is used to fulfill this requirement.

This module makes use of the following commands of this interface:

• install_ca_certificate to handle an InstallCertificate.req message from the CSMS

• delete_certificate to handle a DeleteCertificate.req message from the CSMS

• update_leaf_certificate to handle a CertificateSigned.req message from the CSMS

• verify_certificate to verify certificates from the CSMS that are sent as part of UpdateFirmware.req or to validate the contract certificate used for Plug&Charge.

• get_installed_certificates to handle a GetInstalledCertificateIds.req message from the CSMS

• get_v2g_ocsp_request_data to update the OCSP cache of V2G sub-CA certificates using GetCertificateStatus.req. Triggering this message is handled by libocpp internally

• get_mo_ocsp_request_data to include the iso15118CertificateHashData as part of an Authorize.req for Plug&Charge if required

• update_ocsp_cache to update the OCSP cache, which is part of a GetCertificateStatus message from the CSMS

• is_ca_certificate_installed to verify if a certain CA certificate is installed

• generate_certificate_signing_request to generate a CSR that can be used as part of a SignCertificate.req message to the CSMS to generate or update the SECC or CSMS leaf certificates

• get_leaf_certificate_info to get the certificate and private key path of the CSMS client certificate used for security profile 3

• get_verify_file to get the path to a CA bundle that can be used for verifying, e.g., the CSMS TLS server certificate

• get_leaf_expiry_days_count to determine when a leaf certificate expires. This information is used by libocpp in order to renew leaf certificates in case they expire soon

Note that a lot of conversion between the libocpp types and the generated EVerest types are required for the given commands. Since the conversion functionality is used by this OCPP201 module and the OCPP1.6 module, it is implemented as a separate library .

5.3.9.2.11. Requires: data_transfer

Interface: ocpp_data_transfer

This module optionally requires a connection to a module implementing the ocpp_data_transfer interface. This connection is used to handle DataTransfer.req messages from the CSMS. A module implementing this interface can contain custom logic to handle the requests from the CSMS.

This module makes use of the following commands of this interface:

• data_transfer to forward DataTransfer.req messages from the CSMS

5.3.9.2.12. Requires: display_message

Interface: display_message

This module optionally requires a connection to a module implementing the display_message interface. This connection is used to allow the CSMS to display pricing or other information on the display of a charging station. In order to fulfill the requirements of the California Pricing whitepaper, it is required to connect a module implementing this interface.

This module makes use of the following commands of this interface:

• set_display_message to set a message on the charging station’s display. This is executed when the CSMS sends a SetDisplayMessage.req or TransactionEvent.conf (including cost and tariff data) message to the charging station.

• get_display_messages to forward a GetDisplayMessage.req from the CSMS

• clear_display_message to forward a ClearDisplayMessage.req from the CSMS

5.3.9.3. Error Handling

The enable_global_errors flag for this module is true in its manifest. This module is therefore able to retrieve and process all reported errors from other modules that are loaded in the same EVerest configuration.

The error reporting via OCPP2.0.1 follows the Minimum Required Error Codes (MRECS): https://inl.gov/chargex/mrec/ . This proposes a unified methodology to define and classify a minimum required set of error codes and how to report them via OCPP2.0.1.

5.3.9.3.1. StatusNotification

In contrast to OCPP1.6, error information is not transmitted as part of the StatusNotification.req. A StatusNotification.req with status Faulted will be set to faulted only in case the error received is of the special type evse_manager/Inoperative. This indicates that the EVSE is inoperative (not ready for energy transfer).

In OCPP2.0.1 errors can be reported using the NotifyEventRequest.req. This message is used to report all other errros received.

5.3.9.3.2. Current Limitation

In OCPP2.0.1 errors can be reported using the NotifyEventRequest message. The eventData property carries the relevant information.

This format of reporting errors deviates from the mechanism used within EVerest. This data structure forces to map an error to a component-variable combination. This requires a mapping mechanism between EVerest errors and component-variable combination.

Currently this module maps the Error to one of these three Components:

• ChargingStation (if error.origin.mapping.evse is not set or 0)

• EVSE (error.origin.mapping.evse is set and error.origin.mapping.connector is not set)

• Connector (error.origin.mapping.evse is set and error.origin.mapping.connector is set)

The Variable used as part of the NotifyEventRequest is constantly defined to Problem for now.

The goal is to have a more advanced mapping of reported errors to the respective component-variable combinations in the future.

5.3.9.4. Certificate Management

Two leaf certificates are managed by the OCPP communication enabled by this module:

• CSMS Leaf certificate (used for mTLS for SecurityProfile3)

• SECC Leaf certificate (Server certificate for ISO15118)

60 seconds after the first BootNotification.req message has been accepted by the CSMS, the charging station will check if the existing certificates are not present or have been expired. If this is the case, the charging station initiates the process of requesting a new certificate by sending a certificate signing request to CSMS.

For the CSMS Leaf certificate, this process is only triggered if SecurityProfile 3 is used.

For the SECC Leaf certificate, this process is only triggered if Plug&Charge is enabled by setting the ISO15118PnCEnabled to true.

If a certificate has expired is then periodically checked every 12 hours.

In addition to that, the charging station periodically updates the OCSP responses of the sub-CA certificates of the V2G certificate chain. The OCSP response is cached and can be used as part of the ISO15118 TLS handshake with EVs. The OCSP update is by default performed every seven days. The timestamp of the last update is stored persistently, so that this process is not necessarily performed at every start up.

5.3.9.5. Energy Management and Smart Charging Integration

OCPP2.0.1 defines the SmartCharging feature profile to allow the CSMS to control or influence the power consumption of the charging station. This module integrates the composite schedule(s) within EVerest’s energy management. For further information about smart charging and the composite schedule calculation please refer to the OCPP2.0.1 specification.

The integration of the composite schedules is implemented through the optional requirement(s) evse_energy_sink (interface: external_energy_limits) of this module. Depending on the number of EVSEs configured, each composite limit is communicated via a seperate sink, including the composite schedule for EVSE with id 0 (representing the whole charging station). The easiest way to explain this is with an example. If your charging station has two EVSEs you need to connect three modules that implement the external_energy_limits interface: One representing evse id 0 and two representing your actual EVSEs.

📌 Note: You have to configure an evse mapping for each module connected via the evse_energy_sink connection. This allows the module to identify which requirement to use when communicating the limits for the EVSEs. For more information about the module mapping please see 3-tier module mappings.

This module defines a callback that gets executed every time charging profiles are changed, added or removed by the CSMS. The callback retrieves the composite schedules for all EVSEs (including evse id 0) and calls the set_external_limits command of the respective requirement that implements the external_energy_limits interface. In addition, the config parameter CompositeScheduleIntervalS defines a periodic interval to retrieve the composite schedule also in case no charging profiles have been changed. The configuration parameter RequestCompositeScheduleDurationS defines the duration in seconds of the requested composite schedules starting now. The value configured for RequestCompositeScheduleDurationS shall be greater than the value configured for CompositeScheduleIntervalS because otherwise time periods could be missed by the application.