Video: Building openleadr-rs for real-world demand response (FOSDEM 2026)

Max
Software engineer
Video: Building openleadr-rs for real-world demand response (FOSDEM 2026)
Maximilian Pohl (Tweede golf) and Stijn van Houwelingen (ElaadNL) presented openleadr-rs at FOSDEM 2026. You can now watch the recording of the talk.

Openleadr-rs

OpenLEADR-rs is an opinionated, open-source Rust implementation of the OpenADR 3 protocol, which is already being used for real-world pilots. OpenADR is a protocol for automated demand-response in electricity grids, like dynamic pricing or load shedding.

OpenLEADR-rs is a joint effort by engineers at Tweede golf and ElaadNL. It is also part of OpenLEADR, one of the LF Energy Projects.

The talk

In this joint presentation, Stijn van Houwelingen (ElaadNL) and Maximilian Pohl (Tweede Golf) kick things off with a quick primer on demand response: what it is, and why it’s essential to accelerate the energy transition. From there, they dive into some design decisions behind OpenLEADR-rs.

Among the decisions explored: why Rust was a good choice for the protocol and why OpenLEADR-rs has not implemented real-time updates yet.

Next, they discuss adoption, specifically focusing on the use case of Grid-Aware Charging in the Netherlands.

The talk then wraps up with a look at what’s next for OpenLEADR-rs, including the effort to implement OpenADR version 3.1, how developers and organizations can get involved, and what early adopters can expect in terms of support and collaboration.

Find the video, slides, and additional information here.

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Max
Software engineer

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