Setting up the Emporia MCP program with Claude Desktop enables you to chat with your home energy data directly through Claude's desktop application. This guide walks you through the complete setup process, from opening settings to verifying your connection.
Before starting, read through our Emporia MCP overview article to ensure your computer is ready to run this MCP program locally and that you have the correct credentials available.
Prerequisites
Before beginning setup, ensure you have:
Claude Desktop is installed on your computer
Node.js installed and verified (run
node -vin Terminal/Command Prompt)An Emporia account with email and password credentials
Your Emporia account email and password are ready
Step 1: Open Claude Desktop Settings
Launch the Claude Desktop app on your computer
Click "Claude" in your computer's menu bar (upper left corner)
Select "Settings" from the dropdown menu
A new Settings window will open
Step 2: Navigate to Developer Settings
In the Settings window, click "Developer" on the left-hand side
If this is your first MCP tool, you'll see a "getting started" view
If you already have MCP tools installed, you'll see a list of existing tools
Step 3: Open the Configuration File
Click the "Edit Config" button towards the bottom of the screen
Your Finder window will open with the "claude_desktop_config.json" file highlighted
Open this file in your preferred text editor or IDE program
Note: The next steps may look slightly different depending on which editor you use.
Step 4: Add Emporia MCP Configuration
The configuration code you'll use depends on your operating system and credential storage method. See our MCP overview article for details on which code is appropriate for your situation.
For Mac/Linux Users (Direct Credentials):
Copy and paste this configuration into your file:
{ "mcpServers":{ "emporia-mcp":{ "command":"npx", "args":["@emporiaenergy/emporia-mcp"], "env":{ "EMPORIA_ACCOUNT":"[email protected]", "EMPORIA_PASSWORD":"examplePassword1234" } } } }For Windows Users:
Use this configuration instead (note the different command and file path):
{ "mcpServers":{ "emporia-mcp":{ "command":"node", "args":["C:\\dev\\emporia-mcp-server\\build\\index.js"], "env":{ "EMPORIA_ACCOUNT":"[email protected]", "EMPORIA_PASSWORD":"examplePassword1234" } } } }Important: Replace [email protected] and examplePassword1234 with your actual Emporia account credentials.
Step 5: Save and Close
Save the configuration file
Close your text editor
Close Claude Desktop completely (ensure it's not running in the background)
Important: Claude Desktop must be fully closed for it to reload with the newly added Emporia MCP program.
Step 6: Verify Installation
Re-open Claude Desktop
On the Home screen, look for the filters (tools) button within the chat window
Click the tools button to view available tools
You should see "emporia-mcp" listed towards the bottom of the available tools
If "emporia-mcp" appears in the tools list, congratulations! You're all set to start chatting with your energy data.
Testing Your Connection
Try these simple commands to verify everything is working:
List Your Devices:
"List my Emporia devices."
Query Recent Data:
"Show me my energy usage from yesterday."
Ask About Costs:
"How much did my EV charger cost last week?"
If these commands return data from your Emporia account, your setup is complete and working correctly.
Troubleshooting
"emporia-mcp" doesn't appear in the tools list:
Verify your configuration file was saved correctly
Check that your credentials are entered exactly as shown (no typos)
Ensure Claude Desktop was completely closed and reopened
Verify Node.js is installed by running
node -vin Terminal
Authentication errors:
Double-check that your Emporia email and password are correct
Ensure you're using a native Emporia account (not Google/Apple sign-in)
Try creating a new native account and sharing your devices with it
Configuration file won't save:
Make sure you have write permissions for the configuration file
Try running your text editor as administrator (Windows)
Feedback and Suggestions
This knowledge base is continuously evolving to provide comprehensive support for managing your energy effectively. If you found this article unhelpful or think it could be improved, please contact our Customer Support team.