Connecting electric vehicles to homes, buildings and the electricity grid requires coordinated energy management. Vehicles, chargers, solar panels and stationary batteries must work together while respecting users’ mobility needs and the limits of each site. V4Grid has developed an architectural framework describing how an energy management system can bring these elements into a common operational view.
The framework addresses several potential applications: using more locally generated solar electricity in households, managing demand peaks in buildings, responding to electricity prices and coordinating flexibility across multiple sites. It provides a basis for development and integration. Practical deployment still depends on equipment compatibility, site conditions, permissions and validation.
The proposed system follows a continuous operating cycle. It collects measurements and equipment status, checks incoming information, plans energy use and sends permitted control requests. It then observes how the equipment responds. This feedback allows plans to be updated as vehicle availability, electricity demand and local generation change. Checking the actual response is essential: sending a command does not, by itself, confirm that the requested action occurred.
To support different types of equipment, the architecture separates data collection, information management, planning and control. Common descriptions of connected assets record their capabilities, current state and operating limits. Device interfaces help translate differences between equipment, allowing individual components to evolve without redesigning the entire service. Each connected device nevertheless requires validation in its intended operating environment.
User requirements remain central throughout this process. A vehicle must have sufficient energy for its next journey, and drivers need to retain control over their participation. Expected departure times, required energy and user overrides therefore need to be considered alongside battery limits and site power constraints. A connected vehicle cannot be assumed to provide storage capacity continuously.
The design also addresses unreliable measurements, communication interruptions and invalid requests. These situations require defined fallback behaviour that respects operating limits and records exceptions. Clear operational records should allow users and operators to understand what was requested, what happened and where further attention is needed.
Security and interoperability are further requirements of the framework. Authenticated access, appropriate permissions, encrypted communication and protection of stored information support responsible operation. Traceable control actions and configuration changes help operators investigate problems and manage services consistently as more equipment and sites are connected.
V4Grid proposes a staged route towards deployment, beginning with reliable monitoring and progressing to local energy coordination. Managing several sites introduces further requirements for consistent data and operational oversight. Participation in grid services adds checks of response performance, permissions and commercial arrangements.
The next step is to validate the complete chain from measurement and planning to control and equipment response. The framework defines how this work can be organised; it does not claim that every application has completed validation or is ready for commercial operation. Its contribution is a structured foundation for developing V2X services that combine energy flexibility with dependable vehicle availability and clear user control.