Emporia Energy offers two powerful features for managing your EV Charger’s energy consumption: PowerSmart and Peak Demand Management. While both features aim to optimize energy use and prevent excessive power consumption, they serve distinct purposes. This article highlights the key differences and helps you decide which feature best suits your needs.
What is PowerSmart?
PowerSmart is an optional, firmware-based upgrade for Emporia EV Chargers that helps prevent your home’s electrical system from exceeding its supply limitations by dynamically adjusting the EV Charger’s charge rate. This feature works in tandem with an Emporia Energy Monitor (Vue 2 or Vue 3) to continuously track your total household energy consumption and automatically throttle the EV Charger as needed.
When to Use PowerSmart
PowerSmart is ideal if:
You have limited electrical service capacity (e.g., 100A or 200A panels) and want to avoid costly service upgrades.
You regularly use multiple high-consumption appliances alongside your EV Charger.
You want to charge your EV at the highest possible rate without exceeding your panel’s limit.
Important Notes:
PowerSmart is designed for managing total system load and cannot independently manage multiple EV Chargers on a shared circuit.
It exclusively monitors the main service lines and does not support load shedding for individual branch circuits.
What is Peak Demand Management?
Peak Demand Management is a built-in feature of Emporia’s energy management platform that helps you avoid costly utility charges by staying below your utility’s peak demand pricing threshold. Unlike PowerSmart, which focuses on your home’s electrical limits, Peak Demand Management targets utility pricing tiers and adjusts device consumption accordingly.
When to Use Peak Demand Management
Peak Demand Management is ideal if:
Your utility charges based on peak demand and you want to avoid higher billing rates.
You want to automate energy savings during periods of high consumption.
You have multiple smart devices connected to your Emporia system and want to prioritize their usage based on real-time energy needs.
Key Features:
Supports multiple connected devices, including EV Chargers, Smart Plugs, and Thermostats.
Allows users to set priorities for which devices should remain operational when approaching the peak demand threshold.
PowerSmart vs. Peak Demand Management: A Quick Comparison
Feature | PowerSmart | Peak Demand Management |
Purpose | Prevent electrical overload | Avoid peak demand utility charges |
Primary Focus | Total system load | Utility pricing thresholds |
Devices Supported | Single EV Charger | Multiple smart devices |
Energy Monitor Required | Yes (Vue 1, 2 or Vue 3 with 200A CTs) | Yes (Vue 1, 2, or Vue 3 with 200A CTs) |
Automatic Control | Adjusts EV Charger charge rate | Controls multiple devices based on priority |
Use Case | Limited electrical panel capacity | High utility peak demand charges |
Which Feature Should You Choose?
Choose PowerSmart if your primary concern is ensuring your home’s electrical system stays within safe limits without upgrading your electrical panel. Often times this may be required by local or regional code compliance.
Choose Peak Demand Management if your primary goal is to manage energy costs by avoiding peak demand pricing tiers.
In some cases, you may benefit from using both features together. For example, if you have limited electrical capacity and your utility charges based on peak demand, PowerSmart can help you stay within your panel’s limits while Peak Demand Management ensures you avoid high utility charges.
Need Help?
If you have any questions or need assistance in setting up PowerSmart or Peak Demand Management, our Customer Support team is here to help. Feel free to reach out with your questions, feedback, or suggestions on how we can improve our guides. We value your input and are committed to helping you manage your energy efficiently.