This article describes how Charge HQ's smart EV charging interacts and interoperates with virtual power plants (VPPs).
Currently, Charge HQ only controls EV charging - it does not control home batteries (although we are looking into that).
If your home battery is part of a virtual power plant (VPP) or similar orchestration product such as Amber Smart Shift, Charge HQ will not interfere with the operation of the VPP. However, Charge HQ will continue to control the EV charging during a VPP event.
When your home battery is discharging due to a VPP discharge event, Charge HQ will continue to adjust the EV charging power using the following calculation:
EV charging power = solar generation - household consumption
In other words, Charge HQ will not increase the charging power to "steal" the extra power that the battery is discharging, but neither will it stop the EV charging. This should result in grid exports equal to the battery discharge power.
Some users have requested that the EV should stop charging when a VPP discharge event is occurring so that they can export as much as possible, whilst others do not want this.
When your home battery is charging from the grid due to a VPP charge event, Charge HQ will continue to adjust the EV charging power, with the calculation varying depending on the Charge Priority setting.
EV charging power = solar generation - household consumption - battery charge power
This means Charge HQ will only take whatever solar is left over, which is likely to be very little or zero during such an event. Grid imports will occur if the battery charge power is greater than the amount of excess solar.
EV charging power = solar generation - household consumption
This means Charge HQ will ignore the fact that the battery is charging from the grid, and will try to take all the excess solar. This will cause grid imports equal to the charging power of the battery.
We are alway open to hearing suggestions on how Charge HQ should operate. If you'd like to provide some input, please let us know via email or the Facebook group.
