Separate the site system from the portfolio service
A virtual power plant can bring together battery storage, generation and controllable loads. The portfolio service needs to know what each asset can do, whether it is available and whether an instruction was carried out.
Edge runs locally on the Gateway. Operators can use its dashboards, data tools and automation on site; an external platform is not required for those functions. The partner integration connects the site to portfolio optimisation, commercial dispatch and any market-facing processes.
Define an asset model before adding sites
Agree a common identity for each site, asset and measurement. Keep the same units and sign conventions across the portfolio, but retain the context that makes readings meaningful.
For a battery, electrical power alone is not enough: available telemetry may also include state of charge, operating mode and limits. For a controllable load, the relevant state and permissible actions will be different. Confirm supported readings and commands for the exact equipment and firmware.
The battery storage guide explains the distinction between independent metering and battery-system telemetry.
Select the field hardware
Use the ZEM family for electricity measurements and review the ZDR family for demand-response monitoring and control. The current datasheets define their functions and available configurations.
Supported wired equipment and wireless monitoring can share the Edge data model. Choose the Gateway communications options and interfaces for the site. Do not assume every asset needs the same controller, or that an existing meter must be replaced when its data can be accessed appropriately.
Agree the command path
Document how a platform instruction identifies its target, who may send it and how its outcome is reported. Include operating limits, overrides, stale instructions, retries and communication failures in the integration design.
Distinguish an accepted command from a completed physical action. Compare the instruction, equipment state and resulting measurements during qualification. Timing needs to cover the whole path, not just the sampling rate of one component.
Qualify a representative site before scaling
Use the Demand Response & VPP application page and its customer projects to understand EpiSensor's role. A case-study result applies to that project; it is not automatic qualification of another asset or programme.
For a pilot, record hardware and software versions, test the agreed data and control behaviour, and establish who owns ongoing support. Add the applicable provider or programme acceptance tests before expanding the portfolio.
Explore platform profiles and Edge integration capabilities, then plan the first site with us.