What is §14a EnWG?

§ 14a of the Energiewirtschaftsgesetz (EnWG) in Germany refers to regulations concerning the control of controllable consumer devices (“steuerbare Verbrauchseinrichtungen“) in the energy grid—especially in the context of the energy transition and smart grids.

Here’s a simplified breakdown of what § 14a EnWG is about (as of the latest updates):

§ 14a EnWG – Steuerbare Verbrauchseinrichtungen

(Controllable Consumer Devices)
This section regulates the conditions under which electricity grid operators (especially distribution system operators or DSOs) can temporarily reduce or control the power consumption of certain electrical devices in private homes or businesses, in exchange for reduced grid fees or other benefits.

Applies to devices like:

Electric heat pumps
Electric vehicle charging stations (Wallboxes)
Battery storage systems
Air conditioning systems or night storage heaters

Main goals:

Ensure grid stability during peak load times
Facilitate integration of renewable energy
Avoid expensive and slow grid expansion where possible
Encourage smart and flexible energy use

Controlling the DEFA Power Charging Station According to §14a EnWG:

To comply with the §14a EnWG requirements, the grid operator can control the DEFA Power charging station using one of the following options:

Using Ripple Control
Integrate the Perific Max product
Using Modbus TCP
Connect a local Modbus controller
Using OCPP 2.0.1 (Cloud-based)
Connect the charging station to a CSMS (Charging Station Management System) for remote control via the cloud.

1. Control via FNN (Ripple Control Receiver)

DEFA Power can be connected to the Perific Max device – a compact ripple control receiver that meets FNN specifications. It interprets the grid operator’s signals and triggers the corresponding control actions on the charging station.
👉 See the setup guide here.

2. Using Modbus TCP

A local Modbus-compatible controller receives control signals from the grid operator and forwards them to DEFA Power using the Modbus TCP protocol. This solution enables fast, reliable load management without relying on a cloud connection.

Alternatively, if the FNN box installed in the system supports Modbus TCP and includes control functionality, it can serve directly as the Modbus controller. In this case, no additional control unit is required — the FNN box itself communicates with DEFA Power to fulfill §14a EnWG requirements.

👉 See the setup instructions here on how to enable Modbus on DEFA Power.

3. Using OCPP 2.0.1 (Cloud-based)

Remote control of the charging station via cloud and backend.

DEFA Power supports OCPP 2.0.1 – the international protocol standard for EV charging communication. This allows the charging station to be connected to a Charging Station Management System (CSMS) via the cloud.

Through this backend connection, the grid operator can remotely adjust charging output during times of high demand, fulfilling §14a requirements without the need for local hardware modifications.

Supported Backends: click here
Want to use another backend? If you have a backend using and supporting OCPP2.0.1 and not shown on the list, please contact us [email protected]. We could easily integrate your required backend with DEFA Power.

👉 Setup instructions available here.

Published: May 6, 2025