Electric Miles and Charge-M8 Connect EV Charging Load Management to Grid Trading
The integration allows commercial sites to earn recurring revenue by trading charging flexibility with the grid.
Hardware manufacturer Charge-M8 has integrated its Libra dynamic load balancing device with software provider Electric Miles’ emPACT charge point management system (CPMS). The new integration, available to emPACT customers, enables multi-charger commercial sites to earn recurring revenue by trading charging flexibility with the grid.
What Happened
The integration connects Charge-M8’s Libra device, which measures building demand in real time, with Electric Miles’ emPACT software. Libra sends data to emPACT over the Open Charge Point Protocol (OCPP), allowing the software to calculate available power and continuously adjust the output of every connected charger. This setup allows site operators to make their charging load available for grid trading via Electric Miles’ SmartFlex platform. SmartFlex can shift or reduce charging when the grid needs flexibility and compensates the site for participating. The platform is integrated with all six UK distribution system operators (DSOs) and the National Energy System Operator (NESO), and has delivered more than 40,000 grid flexibility events.
Why It Matters
Commercial EV charging sites often face constraints where available power for charging varies with building demand. Without real-time data, operators typically either cap chargers at a fixed limit, leaving capacity unused, or risk exceeding their agreed supply capacity and incurring excess capacity charges. Arun Anand, founder and CEO of Electric Miles, stated that grid capacity is now one of the biggest limits on commercial charging. He noted that many sites are told the only way to add chargers is an expensive upgrade. By pairing live site data with automated load management, operators can safely use existing capacity. Julian Smith, founder and Managing Director of Charge-M8, described the integration as a practical way to make better use of existing capacity while protecting the wider electrical installation.
The Bottom Line
The integration of Charge-M8’s Libra hardware with Electric Miles’ emPACT software provides commercial EV charging operators with a tool to optimize power usage and generate revenue through grid flexibility markets, addressing capacity constraints without requiring immediate infrastructure upgrades.
