Transform your EV charging network into revenue-generating flexibility assets with AMPECO

For generations, electricity flowed one-way: from centralized power plants through transmission lines and local distribution networks to consumers. When demand rose, energy operators simply increased generation capacity to match.

But over the last decade, we’ve witnessed a fundamental transformation driven by the widespread adoption of renewable energy sources and digital technologies. Solar panels cover rooftops, wind farms dot the countryside, and digital technologies now enable precise monitoring and control of electricity distribution.

These distributed energy resources (DERs) have transformed the traditional energy model. Energy generation has shifted from predictable patterns to variable outputs influenced by weather and local conditions. In this new landscape, simply adjusting generation to meet demand is no longer sufficient in our increasingly complex and interconnected energy ecosystem.

In response, electricity markets have adapted by developing new mechanisms that capitalize on the ability to adjust energy consumption or production in response to grid conditions. This has led to the emergence of flexibility markets – sophisticated trading platforms where adjustable power becomes a valuable commodity. Just as stock exchanges trade company shares, these markets trade megawatts of flexible capacity, creating financial incentives for entities that help balance the grid.

For Charge Point Operators (CPOs), this is a potential goldmine.

Your EV Charging Network is More Valuable Than You Think

As a CPO, you’ve invested in charging infrastructure to serve EV drivers. But those same chargers could generate additional revenue by helping balance the power grid.

Every time an EV connects to your network, it offers flexibility potential. When the grid needs less consumption, your chargers can temporarily reduce their power. When the grid has excess renewable energy, it can increase it. This capability – to adjust consumption when needed – has genuine market value. CPOs have the opportunity to become key players in grid balancing through participation in flexibility markets. By taking on the role of Flexibility Service Providers (FSPs), CPOs can offer their charging infrastructure as a valuable resource for managing energy demand. The larger your EV charging network, the more flexibility you can offer and the more revenue you can potentially generate.

The Technical Foundation: AMPECO’s Flexibility Assets

AMPECO creates a seamless connection between your EV charging infrastructure and the energy market ecosystem. At the heart of our approach is what we call a “flexibility asset”.

Creating flexibility assets

In the AMPECO platform, we group multiple charging points (typically within a circuit) into a single flexibility asset. This aggregation is the first critical step toward market participation. While a single charger’s flexibility potential might be too small to interest grid operators, combining hundreds of chargers creates a resource significant enough to participate in flexibility markets.

Data collection and forecasting

Each flexibility asset in the AMPECO platform continuously collects historical charging data: when cars charge and how much energy they draw. The system tracks historical consumption while monitoring regulation potential in both directions. 

The functionality provides forecasts for charging patterns a week ahead. The Time Series Forecast is represented with 15-minute clock-aligned periods that show predicted energy output and regulation potential for each Flexibility Asset. These forecasts are created by extrapolating from the latest historical time series data, maintaining the same day of week and hour of day alignment (e.g., a forecast for Tuesday 09:00-09:15 is based on the latest historical data from a previous Tuesday 09:00-09:15).

Forecast components

Each forecast period includes Asset ID, start/end times, predicted energy output (Wh), downward regulation potential (how much energy output could be reduced), and upward regulation potential (how much energy output could be increased). This forecasting capability is incredibly valuable to market participants who need to know how much flexibility will be available at specific times.

Market Participation Through Integration With Third Parties

CPOs can participate in flexibility markets through market-licensed players such as flexibility aggregators, virtual power plants (VPPs), and other entities. AMPECO has built multiple pathways for communication:=

• Through our public API
• Via OpenADR protocol integrations (an emerging industry standard)
• Through custom integrations with third-party platforms

The third party incorporates the flexibility assets’ historical and forecasted data into comprehensive models that also consider energy market trends, weather forecasts, and other factors to generate market bids. When a deal is finalized, the Aggregator is instructed to either increase or decrease charging loads to alleviate stress on the grid. A flexibility request is then sent from the third party to the CPO’s CPMS. This may be part of a broader strategy to optimize electricity distribution, minimize grid imbalances, or ensure grid stability during periods of high demand or limited renewable energy production.

The flexibility activation request  essentially is a message saying, “From 2-4 PM tomorrow, please limit consumption to X kilowatts.” The AMPECO platform receives this request, creates a schedule for the flexibility asset, and our smart charging algorithms calculate exactly how to distribute this limitation across all the chargers in the asset.

To maximize the benefits of participation, CPOs and aggregators must establish well-defined agreements outlining how and when these assets can be leveraged.

The Execution Layer: Smart Charging

Once a flexibility request comes in, how do we ensure it’s properly executed across your charging network? This is where AMPECO’s dynamic load management is applied. When a flexibility asset receives a limit (say, 50 kilowatts maximum for a group of chargers), our algorithms intelligently distribute this capacity across all active charging sessions.

Rather than applying uniform limitations to each charging point, the system dynamically allocates power based on multiple factors:

• Individual vehicle charging needs and states of charge
• Priority settings for specific users or charging stations
• Time remaining until drivers need their vehicles

The flexibility asset functions as a unified entity while internally optimizing for individual charging experiences. The algorithms continuously recalculate distribution throughout the activation period, adjusting in real-time as vehicles complete charging or new sessions begin. The best part? This all happens seamlessly in the background while still ensuring EV drivers get the charge they need.

Benefits for Charge Point Operators

By participating in flexibility markets through AMPECO, your charging network unlocks new revenue opportunities beyond its primary function. Here’s what you gain:

New revenue streams: Your existing EV charging infrastructure can generate additional income beyond standard charging fees, improving your ROI without additional capital investment.

Simplified Market Access: Participation in energy markets requires in-depth knowledge about energy trading that CPOs typically don’t have. By partnering with established market players, you gain market representatives who combine your flexibility assets with others to create high-value resources that command premium prices in energy markets.

Zero Technical Complexity: AMPECO handles the integration complexity on our end, ensuring your EV charging infrastructure responds appropriately to market signals without requiring significant additional work from your team.

Value for all stakeholders: In the end, everyone wins. You generate new revenue, aggregators expand their portfolio, grid operators access reliable flexibility resources, and the entire energy system becomes more resilient and sustainable.

The Future of Flexibility

The energy transition is accelerating, and flexibility markets represent one of the most promising opportunities for charge point operators to enhance their infrastructure’s value. 

At AMPECO, we’re continuously expanding our flexibility capabilities through more sophisticated forecasting algorithms and participation in specialized grid service markets. As regulatory frameworks mature and market mechanisms evolve, our platform will adapt to maximize CPO revenue potential.