{"id":4341,"date":"2025-03-22T09:07:04","date_gmt":"2025-03-22T09:07:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.creatingsmarthome.com\/?p=4341"},"modified":"2025-10-05T12:53:19","modified_gmt":"2025-10-05T12:53:19","slug":"home-assistant-whats-new-in-aio-energy-management-0-3-x-and-0-4-0","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.creatingsmarthome.com\/index.php\/2025\/03\/22\/home-assistant-whats-new-in-aio-energy-management-0-3-x-and-0-4-0\/","title":{"rendered":"Home Assistant: What’s new in AIO Energy Management 0.3.x and 0.4.0"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The AIO Energy Management integration for Home <\/a>Assistant has been slowly, but steadily improving. Since I didn’t publish an article for version 0.3.0, let’s explore the changes from v0.3.x to v0.4.0 and delve into practical usage examples of the new features.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you are unfamiliar with the AIO Energy Management integration, go check the previous articles here<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

New attributes (v0.3.3)<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Version 0.3.3 introduced several new read-only attributes, enhancing automation and information retrieval. These attributes include minimum, maximum, and mean prices<\/strong>, specifically calculated from the current cheapest hours sequence. For instance, you can determine the mean price of a set number of cheapest hours. This allows for direct comparison with the full-day average, highlighting potential cost savings by utilizing the cheapest hours.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Example Use Case:<\/strong> Compare the mean price of your five cheapest hours to the overall daily average to quantify potential savings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

New service to clear cached data (v0.3.2)<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Previously, configuration changes required users to wait until the next day for updated flexible energy prices. Now, the AIO Energy Management service clear_data<\/code> allows immediate data flushing for a selected sensor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This service can be invoked through automations or the developer tools’ “Services” section. The unique_id<\/code> parameter of the sensor (specified during configuration) is mandatory.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Example Service Call:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

service: aio_energy_management.clear_data\ndata:\n  unique_id: my_cheapest_hours<\/code><\/pre>\n\n\n\n
New configurations<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Price limit (v0.3.0 – v0.3.1)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Initially introduced as max_price<\/code> in v0.3.0, this was quickly renamed to price_limit<\/code> in v0.3.1 for clarity, especially regarding inverted functionality (e.g., finding the most expensive hours).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The price limit is valuable for restricting cheapest hours usage to periods below a specific price. For example, I use it to heat my outdoor hot tub only when prices are below 5 cents\/kWh. Note that if the price limit isn’t met, heating might be skipped, which is acceptable for my hot tub’s heat retention.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The price limit can also reference an entity’s value. Simply enter the entity_id<\/code> in the price_limit<\/code> variable (e.g., price_limit: input_number.example_entity<\/code>). Ensure the value is a decimal number (e.g., 5.0<\/code>).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Example Configuration:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
cheapest_hours:\n   - nordpool_entity: sensor.nordpool\n     unique_id: cheapest_hours_hot_tub\n     name: Cheapest Hours Hot Tub\n     first_hour: 0\n     last_hour: 23\n     starting_today: false\n     number_of_hours: 5\n     sequential: false\n     price_limit: 5.0\n<\/code><\/pre>\n\n\n\n
Trigger Hour (v0.3.0 – v0.3.1)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Implemented in v0.3.0 and refined in v0.3.1, the trigger hour delays calculations until specific conditions are met.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Without a trigger hour, calculations occur immediately after flexible energy prices are published. The trigger hour enables calculations at a predetermined time, such as evening, when usage patterns are known. This is useful for adjusting number_of_hours<\/code> based on daily consumption.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
trigger_hour<\/code> accepts an integer, representing the hour when calculations begin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Example Configuration:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
cheapest_hours:\n  - nordpool_entity: sensor.nordpool\n    unique_id: cheapest_hours_water_boiler\n    name: Cheapest Hours Water Boiler\n    first_hour: 21\n    last_hour: 12\n    starting_today: true\n    number_of_hours: sensor.water_heater_number_of_hours\n    sequential: false\n    failsafe_starting_hour: 1\n    trigger_hour: 21\n<\/code><\/pre>\n\n\n\n
Note:<\/strong> The trigger hour will be further refined in future releases to accept hour and minute sub-parameters.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n
Enable\/disable calendar (0.3.3)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
This enhancement allows disabling calendar entries for sensors used e.g. solely as automation helpers. Add calendar: false<\/code> to the sensor configuration. By default, sensors are displayed on the calendar.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Example Configuration:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
cheapest_hours:\n  - nordpool_entity: sensor.nordpool\n    unique_id: my_cheapest_hours_helper\n    name: Just a helper cheapest hours\n    first_hour: 21\n    last_hour: 12\n    starting_today: true\n    number_of_hours: 3\n    sequential: false\n    trigger_hour: 21\n    calendar: false\n<\/code><\/pre>\n\n\n\n
Offset (v0.4.0)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
The offset feature adds buffers to the start or end of the cheapest hours sequence. This is useful for accommodating variable usage. For example, adding a buffer to the end of a water heating sequence to ensure sufficient heating.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Important Considerations:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n