Rust Meets the Grid: Building OpenLEADR-rs for Real-World Demand Response
Event Recap: FOSDEM 2026
TL;DR
At FOSDEM 2026, Dr. Maximilian Pohl and Stijn van Houwelingen presented OpenLEADR-rs, an open source Rust implementation of the OpenADR protocol. The session introduced demand response, explained how OpenADR supports communication between grid operators and customer systems, and highlighted a Dutch grid-aware charging use case focused on public EV charging infrastructure.
Starting With Grid Congestion
Van Houwelingen opened by explaining grid congestion in the Netherlands, where capacity shortages can limit new connections and prevent existing connections from being expanded.
He noted that although expanding grid infrastructure remains important, building new transformers takes time and money. The presentation framed demand response as one way to make better use of available grid capacity by shifting or limiting electricity use during peak periods.
What Demand Response Means
Van Houwelingen described demand response as the idea that customer appliances, such as washing machines or heat pumps, can respond to the status of the grid.
In a demand response program, a grid operator communicates signals or grid status information to consumers or companies so they can change how they use electricity. These signals may take the form of price signals or capacity limits, with the goal of reducing usage during peak times.
Introducing OpenADR
Pohl introduced OpenADR as a standard for open automated demand response. He explained that OpenADR originated in 2009 at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and is now governed by the OpenADR Alliance.
Pohl highlighted OpenADR versions 3.0 and 3.1, which moved from XML and XMPP to JSON and HTTP. He described OpenADR as a high-level messaging protocol that can support many use cases, often with additional profiles that specify how messages should be used for a particular application.
How OpenADR Communication Works
Pohl explained the basic OpenADR model using two parties: a distribution system operator and, in the grid-aware charging use case, charge point operators.
In OpenADR terminology, the system includes a virtual top node (VTN), or server, and a virtual end node (VEN), or client. Communication for the basic use case happens through events and reports. The server sends events, while the customer-side logic may respond and send reports back.
Pohl noted that reports can be used to communicate information such as recent energy use or predicted future energy use.
Building OpenLEADR-rs
OpenLEADR-rs is an implementation of the OpenADR standard developed through a joint effort by ElaadNL and Tweede Golf. Pohl explained that the project is now housed under LF Energy.
The session highlighted a well-tested OpenADR 3.0 implementation that is already used in production, a beta version of OpenADR 3.1 support, ongoing work on a subscription feature for real-time grid signals, and a command-line interface intended to support debugging and prototyping.
Pohl also noted that funding for maintenance and development is secured through 2026.
Why Rust
Pohl described reliability as the primary reason for using Rust. For grid-related software, he emphasized the need for reliable, memory-safe, and efficient core code.
He also noted that Rust can simplify deployment because it produces a single binary that can be run without requiring a separate runtime environment. Because OpenADR communication happens over HTTP, systems written in other programming languages can still interact with OpenLEADR-rs.
A Dutch Grid-Aware Charging Use Case
Van Houwelingen described a Dutch grid-aware charging use case led by ElaadNL, a research institute funded by distribution system operators in the Netherlands.
The goal of the use case is to make EV chargers aware of the grid so charging can be limited during peak times to help avoid grid overload. The use case is part of the Dutch National Charging Infrastructure Agenda, a government program focused on the rollout of EV chargers in the Netherlands.
In the current implementation, charge point operators retrieve events through a REST API, determine when chargers are limited, and then apply those limits through protocols such as OCPP. The current focus is primarily public EV charging infrastructure, including 11 kW charging stations.
Additional Tooling and Future Plans
Van Houwelingen also highlighted several related open source projects, including a Python SDK for EV-side integrations, a grid-aware charging compliance plugin, and a graphical user interface used for pilots and testing.
Looking ahead, the project team is exploring how OpenADR can be applied through home energy management systems and is also working on models that can represent grid congestion across multiple levels.
Getting Involved
The speakers encouraged community participation through the OpenADR technical steering committee, Slack discussions, and pull requests. They also highlighted the availability of good first issues for new contributors.
The session concluded with an invitation to learn more about OpenADR and ongoing development efforts around OpenLEADR-rs and grid-aware charging.
AI Disclosure
This post used artificial intelligence tools for research, structural assistance, or grammatical refinement. The final content was reviewed, edited, and validated by human contributors to LF Energy to ensure accuracy and alignment with our community standards. We remain committed to transparency in the use of generative technologies within the open source ecosystem.
