What Is a Site in Stekker?
In Stekker, a site represents a physical location where EV charging takes place. This could be an office building, a parking garage, a residential complex, or any other location with charge points. Every site is tied to a single grid connection — the point where your building connects to the electricity grid.
Configuring your site correctly is essential. It allows Stekker to optimize charging across all connected vehicles while respecting the physical limits of your electrical infrastructure.
Grid Connection and Contractual Limit
Your grid connection has a contractual transport capacity, often abbreviated as GTV (in Dutch: gecontracteerd transportvermogen). This is the maximum amount of power (in kW) you are allowed to draw from the grid at any given moment.
When you set up your site in Stekker, you enter this limit. Stekker uses it to ensure that the combined load of your charge points, building consumption, and other equipment never exceeds what your connection can handle. Exceeding this limit can result in penalties from your grid operator or even tripped breakers.
Why Sensors Matter
To optimize charging intelligently, Stekker needs to know what is happening at your grid connection in real time. That is where sensors come in.
Sensors are energy meters installed at your grid connection point. They measure active power at regular intervals and send this data to Stekker. This gives the platform a live picture of how much capacity is being used — and how much is available for charging.
Types of sensors
Stekker supports several types of energy measurement devices:
- Energy meters — dedicated metering devices installed at the grid connection
- CT clamps (current transformers) — clamp-on sensors that measure current on existing cables without interrupting the circuit
Your installer will choose the right option based on your electrical setup. The sensor communicates locally with a StekkerEdge device (a small router installed on-site) using the ModBus protocol.
Registering Solar Arrays
If your site has solar panels, registering them in Stekker unlocks smarter optimization. When Stekker knows how much solar generation to expect, it can schedule charging to coincide with peak solar production — maximizing self-consumption and reducing grid load.
What information is needed
For each solar array on your site, Stekker needs:
- Number of panels
- Orientation (azimuth) — which direction the panels face
- Tilt (declination) — the angle of the panels relative to horizontal
- Inverter capacity — the maximum output of the solar inverter in kW
With this data, Stekker generates solar forecasts based on weather predictions, giving the optimizer a clear view of expected generation throughout the day.
How It All Works Together
Once your site is fully configured — grid connection limit set, sensors reporting live data, and solar arrays registered — Stekker has a complete picture of your energy situation. The platform continuously balances:
- Available grid capacity (GTV minus current building load)
- Expected solar generation
- Charging needs of all connected vehicles
This means every vehicle gets charged on time while your site stays within its electrical limits. No manual intervention needed.
What Your Installer Needs to Know
Setting up a site involves both physical installation and software configuration. Your installer should be prepared to:
- Install energy sensors at the grid connection point
- Mount and connect the StekkerEdge device
- Verify that sensor readings appear correctly in the Stekker dashboard
- Provide the grid connection details (GTV, number of phases)
- Register solar array specifications if applicable
Stekker provides installation guides and support to help your installer get everything connected. If you need assistance, reach out to our support team.
Next steps: once your site is configured, you can add charge points and set up cards for authentication.
