Question 1

What equipment do I need to get started with Energy Manager?

Accepted Answer

You need a Home Assistant device (Green, Yellow, Raspberry Pi 5, Intel NUC, or PC), a supported inverter (Sungrow, Sigenergy, AlphaESS, or Fronius), and an account with Amber Electric or LocalVolts. A Solcast API key is also required. Some inverters require a smart meter for accurate monitoring.

Question 2

Is it difficult to set up?

Accepted Answer

Setup is simple with a 95% pre-configured Home Assistant backup. Restore it to your device, add API keys, and follow the provided instructions. Basic Home Assistant familiarity helps but is not essential.

Question 3

Do I need to be with a specific energy provider?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Energy Manager requires either Amber Electric or LocalVolts since they provide wholesale electricity pricing APIs. Fixed-price providers are not supported.

Question 4

Is Energy Manager compatible with Amber Electric's SmartShift?

Accepted Answer

No. SmartShift must not control your inverter if you use Energy Manager. Otherwise, the two systems will conflict by trying to change inverter settings simultaneously.

Question 5

Why do I need an API key from energymanager.com.au?

Accepted Answer

The API key allows your Home Assistant device to securely communicate with Energy Manager servers. It enables dashboards for Free plan users and automated trading features for Premium subscribers.

Question 6

What data does your API receive from my Home Assistant device?

Accepted Answer

Data includes solar generation, consumption, grid import/export, battery levels, and current electricity prices. This allows the system to optimise when to buy, sell, charge, or discharge.

Question 7

Do I need to grant you access to my inverter accounts?

Accepted Answer

No. Energy Manager never requires access to your inverter accounts (e.g., iSolarCloud, Fronius Solar.web, AlphaESS, or mySigen). Commands are issued via your local Home Assistant only.

Question 8

Do you install any physical device in my inverter or need to visit my home?

Accepted Answer

No. Energy Manager is entirely software-based. No physical installation or site visit is required.

Question 9

How do I upgrade to the Premium plan?

Accepted Answer

After signing up and using the Free plan successfully, you can upgrade to Premium directly from your dashboard on energymanager.com.au. Billing is handled via Stripe and can be cancelled at any time.

Question 10

How much can I realistically save?

Accepted Answer

Savings depend on your battery size, energy usage, and market conditions. During price spikes, users may save hundreds per month. Even outside spikes, daily optimisation reduces bills significantly.

Question 11

Is the Free plan really free?

Accepted Answer

Yes. The Free plan includes dashboards, solar forecasting, negative price curtailing, and manual controls with no time limits. You only pay if you want the automated trading features of the Premium plan.

Question 12

Can I install this on my existing Home Assistant setup?

Accepted Answer

Currently, Energy Manager supports fresh Home Assistant OS installations for easy setup. Existing setups may require a custom installation service. We recommend keeping energy management separate from other automations.

Question 13

What happens during network outages?

Accepted Answer

If the system cannot reach Energy Manager or your energy provider APIs, it switches to self-consumption mode until connectivity returns. This prevents risky grid imports during volatile prices.

Question 14

Are the Energy Manager servers redundant?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Premium subscribers are served by redundant API servers, ensuring continuous operation even if one server goes offline.

Question 15

How do I get support if something goes wrong?

Accepted Answer

Free users can submit support tickets and access documentation. Premium users get priority support. Community help is also available via the Energy Manager Discord server.