Automatic coordination across multiple controllable home energy systems.
Home Power Automation
Home Power Automation is the automatic coordination of two or more controllable systems that produce, store or use electricity in a home. It uses device state, household requirements and changing conditions to decide what each system should do and when, then checks whether important actions worked. GridPassport proposes HPA as an open category term, not an industry standard.
Read the Home Power Automation guideA residential energy-management product in development.
GridPassport
GridPassport is being developed using the proposed Home Power Automation model to coordinate supported solar systems, batteries, heating, cooling and EV charging across time and household requirements.
See how GridPassport worksThe local GridPassport coordinator in the home.
The Passport
The Passport is the small local GridPassport device that stays in the home, watches supported devices and helps coordinate power decisions without turning the phone app into the only control point.
Explore The PassportThe high-impact devices behind comfort, bills and resilience.
Heavy side of smart home
The heavy side of smart home means the devices that materially change household energy outcomes: solar, home batteries, heating, cooling, hot water, EV charging, meters and backup hardware.
Compare smart home and power automationThe ability to change power timing or level without losing the intended outcome.
Energy flexibility
Energy flexibility is the part of a device's electricity use or production that can move in time or change in power while still protecting its main job, such as comfort, hot water or an EV departure target.
Learn how S2 communicates energy flexibilityHome Energy Management System.
HEMS
HEMS is the established technical term for systems that monitor, control and optimize energy generation, storage and consumption inside a home.
Read the HEMS guidehome energy management systemresidential energy management
A European standard for communicating energy flexibility.
S2 (EN 50491-12-2)
S2 lets an energy device describe what power behavior is feasible while a Customer Energy Manager decides how to use that flexibility. It is focused on energy management rather than general smart-home control.
Read the plain-English S2 guideThe S2 role that coordinates flexibility across devices and household goals.
Customer Energy Manager (CEM)
A Customer Energy Manager receives flexibility and constraints from S2 Resource Managers, combines them with objectives and external signals, then sends valid instructions. The proposed GridPassport architecture includes this role; any S2 claim should name the tested version and function.
See how the CEM coordinates a homeThe S2 role that represents an energy device.
Resource Manager (RM)
A Resource Manager tells the Customer Energy Manager how its device can behave, reports relevant status and remains responsible for device limits and safety. It can reject an instruction that is no longer feasible.
See how a Resource Manager represents a deviceA secure WebSocket and JSON implementation of S2.
S2 Connect
S2 Connect defines how a Customer Energy Manager and Resource Manager can discover, pair and exchange S2 messages over IP networks using common web technologies.
Read how GridPassport supports S2 ConnectA device or system that coordinates decisions inside the home.
Local coordinator
A local coordinator stays close to the home energy devices and can continue making or supervising some decisions without depending only on a cloud dashboard or a phone screen.
Explore the local coordinatorA home device that can change the power outcome.
Energy asset
An energy asset is a device that can produce, store, consume, shift or protect energy in a home, such as PV, a battery, EV charger, heat pump, AC unit or controllable hot water system.
Learn how distributed energy assets workA device whose timing or power level can change usefully.
Flexible energy asset
A flexible energy asset can move some work in time without breaking the household. Batteries, EV chargers, heating, cooling and hot water can be flexible when comfort, deadlines and reserve are respected.
Read about flexible home demandA smaller energy asset connected near where energy is used.
Distributed energy resource (DER)
A distributed energy resource is a local asset such as rooftop solar, a home battery, an EV charger or a controllable load. Many DERs can be coordinated individually inside a home or collectively through a virtual power plant.
Read the DER and virtual power plant guideA tariff where electricity prices can change by market interval.
Dynamic electricity tariff
Dynamic tariffs can create cheaper and more expensive windows during the day. They become more useful when flexible devices can respond automatically.
Read the dynamic tariff guideA tariff with predictable price periods.
Time-of-use tariff
A time-of-use tariff has prices that change by a known schedule, such as cheaper night hours and more expensive peak hours. It is easier to plan around than a fully dynamic tariff, but still rewards timing.
Compare time-of-use and dynamic tariffsInformation that tells the home when energy is cheaper or more valuable.
Price signal
A price signal is the tariff or market information used to decide whether a home should buy, wait, charge, discharge, shift load, export or preserve reserve.
Learn how to read electricity price signalsA meter that records electricity use in time intervals.
Smart meter
A smart meter records import and, where supported, export in regular intervals and can enable time-varying tariffs. It provides data and settlement; it does not by itself coordinate batteries, heating, cooling or EV charging.
Learn how smart meters enable dynamic tariffsExport compensation that changes with market value.
Dynamic export
Dynamic export means the value paid for energy sent from the home to the grid can change over time. It makes export timing more important, especially for homes with PV and batteries.
Read the solar export guideThe rule or price for energy exported from the home.
Export tariff
An export tariff defines how a household is paid or credited for electricity sent back to the grid. Export rules can strongly affect whether it is better to use, store, sell or curtail solar energy.
Learn how export rules change the decisionThe maximum power a home may send to the grid.
Export limit
An export limit caps the power a solar or battery system can send to the grid. When expected generation reaches that limit, the home may need to store energy, shift a useful load or curtail generation.
Learn how to manage solar export limitsMarket prices below zero during some periods.
Negative electricity prices
Negative electricity prices happen when wholesale electricity prices fall below zero. A home may still not receive free energy because retail tariffs, fees, taxes and export rules can change the final household outcome.
Read about negative prices at homeChanging electricity use in response to grid or price conditions.
Demand response
Demand response means reducing, shifting or increasing electricity use when prices, grid needs or incentives make timing valuable. For homes, it should protect comfort and reserve instead of turning the homeowner into a grid operator.
Read the residential demand response guideUsing your own solar generation inside the home.
Self-consumption
Self-consumption is the share of locally generated solar electricity used by the household instead of being exported to the grid.
Compare solar use, storage and exportSolar energy the home does not immediately need.
Solar surplus
Solar surplus is PV production that exceeds the home load at that moment. The home can often use it later by charging a battery, charging an EV, heating water, pre-cooling or exporting it.
Learn how a home can use solar surplusAn estimate of how much electricity a PV system will produce.
Solar forecast
A solar forecast estimates future PV production from weather, location and system characteristics. It is uncertain, but it can help a home decide how much battery space or reserve to keep for the hours ahead.
See how PV forecast accuracy is measuredCharging a battery from what the home expects next.
Forecast-based charging
Forecast-based charging updates the battery target from expected solar, household demand, electricity prices, current state of charge and protected reserve instead of repeating one fixed schedule every day.
Read the forecast-based battery charging guideAn estimate of how much electricity the home will need.
Load forecast
A load forecast estimates future household consumption by time interval. It can include routine demand, EV charging, heating, cooling and known changes so battery and tariff decisions reflect both future supply and future use.
See how load forecasts change a battery targetIntentionally reducing available generation or export.
Curtailment
Curtailment means limiting solar generation or export because of grid constraints, export limits, negative value or equipment rules. Good coordination first checks whether the energy can be stored or shifted into a useful household load.
Read about solar export and curtailmentUsing a battery across price differences.
Battery arbitrage
Battery arbitrage means charging when electricity is cheaper or solar is abundant, then using or exporting that energy when it is more valuable, where local rules and battery economics allow it.
Read the home battery arbitrage guideEnergy kept back for backup or future use.
Battery reserve
Battery reserve is the part of a home battery intentionally protected so the home has energy available during outages, high-price periods or other risk windows.
Learn how to manage battery reserveThe battery energy level at a given moment.
State of charge (SoC)
State of charge is the estimated percentage of usable energy currently stored in a battery. It describes the battery now; reserve is the minimum level the household wants the system to protect.
Compare battery state of charge and reservePower is a rate in kW; energy is an amount in kWh.
Power vs energy
Power describes how quickly electricity is produced or consumed at a moment, usually in kilowatts. Energy describes the total amount over time, usually in kilowatt-hours. A 5 kW load running for two hours uses 10 kWh.
Learn how power and peak load differ from energyThe energy left after charging and discharging a battery.
Round-trip efficiency
Round-trip efficiency measures how much energy remains useful after a battery charges and later discharges. It matters because every battery decision has losses, so tiny price spreads may not be worth acting on.
See why battery losses matterBattery wear from time, use and operating conditions.
Battery degradation
Battery degradation is the gradual loss of battery capacity or performance. A responsible home energy system should consider degradation before adding extra charge and discharge cycles for small financial gains.
See how battery wear affects arbitrageBattery use over time and the wear associated with it.
Battery cycle and cycle life
A battery cycle describes accumulated charge and discharge equivalent to its usable capacity, while cycle life describes how repeated use affects expected service life. Temperature, state of charge, depth of discharge and power also matter.
Learn why battery cycling belongs in the calculationA device whose timing can move without breaking the household.
Flexible load
A flexible load can shift some consumption to a better time. EV charging, heating, cooling, water heating and some appliances can be flexible when comfort and deadlines are respected.
Read about flexible household loadsMoving energy use to a better time.
Load shifting
Load shifting means running a flexible load earlier or later so the home can use solar, avoid expensive prices, preserve battery reserve or reduce peak demand without hurting comfort.
Learn when shifting demand is usefulThe highest combined power demand during a short interval.
Peak load
Peak load occurs when several large devices demand power at the same time. It can push against grid, inverter or backup limits and may increase costs where tariffs include peak-demand charges.
Read the home peak load guideReducing the highest power peaks without removing useful work.
Peak shaving
Peak shaving reduces a home's maximum grid demand by staggering flexible loads, limiting charging power or using a battery. The goal is to avoid collisions while still meeting comfort and charging deadlines.
Learn how homes reduce power peaksA limit that keeps automation from making the home unpleasant.
Comfort boundary
A comfort boundary is a household rule that tells automation how far heating, cooling, hot water or other flexible loads can move without making people uncomfortable.
See how automation protects comfortEnergy stored as useful heat or cooling.
Thermal storage
Thermal storage holds energy in hot water, a buffer tank or the thermal mass of a building. It can shift some heating or cooling demand to better hours, as long as hygiene, comfort and equipment limits are respected.
Learn how homes shift thermal demandKeeping the home ready for power outages.
Blackout protection
Blackout protection means preserving enough backup capability for essential needs during an outage. It depends on battery reserve, inverter capability, wiring, essential loads and installation design.
Read the battery backup reserve guideThe home ability to keep important things running.
Energy resilience
Energy resilience is the home ability to handle outages, price stress or device conflicts while protecting essential loads, comfort and household priorities.
Learn how home energy resilience is measuredThe circuits and devices a household prioritizes during an outage.
Essential loads
Essential loads are the selected needs a backup system should protect first, such as refrigeration, networking, lighting, pumps or medical equipment. The list and required power must be defined for the actual household and installation.
Build an essential-load resilience planThe time available to charge an electric vehicle.
EV charging window
An EV charging window is the period between plug-in and departure when the car can charge. A good system balances this deadline with solar, battery reserve, tariff prices and household power limits.
Read the EV charger and battery guideEnergy-aware control of heating without losing comfort.
Heat pump energy management
Heat pump energy management coordinates heating with tariffs, weather, solar, battery reserve and comfort boundaries so the home can shift some energy use without making rooms uncomfortable.
Read the heat pump energy guideEnergy-aware cooling inside comfort limits.
AC energy management
AC energy management coordinates cooling with solar, tariffs, weather and battery reserve. The goal is not to make the home warmer, but to use timing intelligently while preserving comfort.
Read the air-conditioning energy guideVirtual Power Plant.
VPP
A VPP connects many distributed energy assets, such as home batteries or EVs, so they can support the wider grid as if they were part of one larger power resource.
Read the virtual power plant guideA product world controlled by one manufacturer.
Vendor ecosystem
A vendor ecosystem is a set of devices, apps and integrations controlled by one manufacturer. It can be convenient, but it can limit whole-home coordination when the house uses devices from several brands.
See the limits of single-device ecosystemsDesigned to work across different manufacturers.
Hardware-agnostic
Hardware-agnostic means the product ambition is to coordinate many supported brands and device types rather than only one manufacturer ecosystem. Integrations have to prove that ambition.
Check the GridPassport compatibility approachA manufacturer app for a solar or battery inverter.
Inverter app
An inverter app is often useful for managing one solar or battery ecosystem. It usually becomes limited when the home needs cross-device decisions involving EV charging, HVAC, tariffs and backup reserve.
Read the inverter energy management guideEnergy import cost minus export value.
Net cost
Net cost is the electricity cost after export value or credits are counted. It is useful for case studies because a home with PV and a battery may both buy and sell energy during the same period.
See net cost used in the first deploymentA policy that keeps optimization inside allowed rules.
Safe mode
Safe mode is a control policy that avoids unsupported energy behavior, such as exporting more than local rules allow. It lets automation pursue value while respecting market, supplier or household constraints.
See safe mode in the first deploymentPlain-language explanation for Home Power Automation.
Whole-home smart power
Whole-home smart power means that decisions across controllable home energy systems are coordinated instead of being left to separate apps and isolated settings.
Read the whole-home coordination guide