POWER UP YOUR PROFITS & PURPOSE WITH PEER-TO-PEER ENERGY TRADING
Join the energy revolution with Jousto. Buy and sell electricity directly with other businesses and prosumers, slash your energy costs, and champion sustainability – even if you don't have solar panels.
THE NEW ENERGY FRONTIER: P2P TRADING EXPLAINED
WHAT IS PEER-TO-PEER ENERGY TRADING?
Peer-to-Peer (P2P) energy trading is revolutionising how businesses interact with electricity. Often described as the "Uber or Airbnb of energy," it creates a direct marketplace where businesses and individuals can buy and sell electricity between each other, bypassing traditional retailers as the sole intermediary.
With P2P trading, businesses with solar panels (prosumers) can sell their excess energy at better rates than standard feed-in tariffs. Meanwhile, businesses without solar can purchase locally-generated renewable energy, often at prices lower than standard retail rates.
This democratised approach puts you in control – you decide who you buy from, who you sell to, and at what price. It's a fundamental shift from being a passive energy consumer to becoming an active participant in a dynamic, local energy marketplace.
And the best part? You don't need to have solar panels to participate and benefit.
HOW P2P ENERGY TRADING WORKS WITH JOUSTO
Through our strategic partnership with Localvolts, Jousto makes P2P energy trading simple, accessible, and highly beneficial for your business.
P2P energy trading creates a direct marketplace between energy producers and consumers.
JOIN THE MARKETPLACE
Jousto helps your business register with Localvolts, an authorised electricity retailer with a transparent P2P marketplace. We handle the paperwork and technical setup, making onboarding seamless.
SET YOUR PREFERENCES
With Jousto's guidance, establish your buying or selling preferences. Choose specific trading partners, set price points, or opt for automatic optimisation to always get the best rates.
TRADE ENERGY
Buy energy directly from local solar producers or sell your excess generation. Every 5-minute interval, the platform matches buyers and sellers based on preferences, with the wholesale market as a backup.
OPTIMISE WITH AUTOMATION
Jousto's energy automation systems can dynamically adjust your consumption, storage, or generation in response to real-time market signals, maximising your financial benefits without manual intervention.
BENEFITS FOR EVERY BUSINESS
Whether you have solar panels or not, P2P energy trading offers significant advantages for your business.
REDUCE ENERGY COSTS
Access potentially lower energy rates by buying directly from local generators or the wholesale market. If you have solar, sell your excess at better prices than standard feed-in tariffs, creating a new revenue stream.
ENHANCE SUSTAINABILITY
Source renewable energy directly from local producers, reducing your carbon footprint and enhancing your ESG credentials. Demonstrate your commitment to sustainability with verifiable, traceable green energy procurement.
GAIN CONTROL & TRANSPARENCY
Take control of your energy procurement with complete visibility of pricing, sources, and usage patterns. Set your own prices for buying or selling, and access detailed analytics on your energy performance.
STRENGTHEN COMMUNITY TIES
Support local businesses and community members by trading energy within your network. Create meaningful connections and keep energy expenditure circulating in your local economy.
INCREASE ENERGY RESILIENCE
Reduce dependence on traditional energy retailers and volatile markets. Diversify your energy sources and gain greater stability in your energy supply and costs.
ACCESS MARKET INTELLIGENCE
Gain insights into energy market trends and patterns through detailed analytics. Make informed decisions about energy usage, procurement, and investment based on real data.
P2P TRADING BENEFITS: WITH OR WITHOUT SOLAR
P2P energy trading offers distinct yet complementary advantages for all businesses, regardless of whether you generate your own power.
| P2P Feature | Benefits If You HAVE Solar | Benefits If You DON'T Have Solar |
|---|---|---|
| Direct Energy Sales | Sell surplus energy at potentially higher rates than standard Feed-in Tariffs; create a new revenue stream. | Opportunity to become a preferred buyer for local generators, fostering stable supply relationships. |
| Local Energy Purchasing | Supplement your own generation during shortfalls by sourcing from other local P2P sellers at better rates than grid import. | Access locally generated renewable energy directly from community members or other businesses, often at costs lower than traditional retail tariffs. |
| Price Control | Set your own selling price for surplus energy, optimising returns based on market conditions. | Negotiate or select buy prices from P2P sellers; gain more control over energy expenditure and hedge against retail price volatility. |
| ESG Enhancement | Demonstrate leadership in clean energy generation and proactive participation in the shared energy economy. | Verifiably source local renewable energy, reduce your carbon footprint, and showcase commitment to local community and sustainable practices. |
| Community Connection | Become a local energy provider, supporting neighbours and other local businesses with your clean energy. | Directly support local renewable energy generators, strengthening local economic ties and community resilience. |
THE JOUSTO & LOCALVOLTS PARTNERSHIP
A POWERFUL ALLIANCE FOR YOUR ENERGY SUCCESS
Jousto has partnered with Localvolts, an Australian-owned, authorised electricity retailer that operates a transparent peer-to-peer electricity marketplace. This strategic collaboration combines Localvolts' innovative trading platform with Jousto's expertise in energy management and automation.
Localvolts provides the marketplace where you can buy and sell electricity, set your own prices, and choose your trading partners. Their platform offers complete transparency, with all charges and earnings passed through without markup.
Jousto enhances this experience by:
- Conducting comprehensive energy audits to identify P2P opportunities
- Providing strategic advice on optimal trading approaches
- Configuring your buy and sell preferences to align with your business objectives
- Implementing energy automation solutions that dynamically respond to market signals
- Offering ongoing support and optimisation to maximise your benefits
Together, we deliver a seamless, end-to-end P2P energy trading solution that makes sophisticated energy management accessible and beneficial for your business.
P2P ENERGY TRADING IN ACTION
Discover how different businesses and communities are leveraging P2P energy trading to achieve their goals.
MULTI-TENANT BUILDINGS
Building owners with rooftop solar can sell energy directly to their tenants. This provides tenants with access to cheaper, green energy and allows the building owner to recoup their solar investment more effectively.
Learn More
BUSINESS-TO-BUSINESS TRADING
Businesses with large solar installations can sell excess energy to neighbouring businesses with limited roof space or higher energy demands, creating localised industrial energy ecosystems.
Learn More
COMMUNITY ENERGY PROJECTS
Community energy initiatives can use P2P trading to allow members to directly trade their share of generated energy or for the project to sell surplus to the wider local community or businesses.
Learn MoreFREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
No, you don't need solar panels to participate! While businesses with solar can sell their excess energy, any business can join as a buyer. Through platforms like Localvolts, you can purchase energy directly from local solar producers, often at rates more competitive than standard retail tariffs. This gives all businesses access to potentially cheaper, greener energy without the upfront investment in solar infrastructure.
P2P energy trading utilises the existing electricity grid infrastructure for the physical delivery of energy. When you buy energy from another participant, the electricity still flows through the traditional grid network. What changes is the commercial arrangement – instead of purchasing exclusively from a retailer, you're buying directly from other generators.
Localvolts, as an authorised electricity retailer, manages all the necessary interactions with the grid operators and market systems, ensuring compliance with regulations while enabling the peer-to-peer transactions. Network charges (the cost of using the grid) are transparently passed through to participants.
Localvolts operates on a transparent fee structure based on your business's annual imported energy consumption. For business customers in South Australia, the daily fees (inclusive of GST) are:
- Category 1 (Up to 40 MWh/year): $1.32 per day
- Category 2 (>40 MWh to 100 MWh/year): $2.42 per day
- Category 3 (>100 MWh to 160 MWh/year): $3.52 per day
- Category 4 (>160 MWh/year): $3.52 per day, plus 1% of the value of the imported energy
These are platform access fees; the actual cost of energy consumed will depend on the prices achieved in P2P trades or the wholesale spot market. All other charges (like network fees) are passed through without markup. Jousto can help you understand these costs in the context of your specific business and calculate the potential net savings.
Jousto enhances your P2P trading experience in several key ways:
- Energy Audits & Strategy: We analyse your current energy usage patterns and develop a tailored P2P strategy that aligns with your business objectives.
- Platform Setup & Configuration: We handle the technical aspects of joining Localvolts and configure your buying or selling preferences for optimal results.
- Intelligent Automation: Our energy automation systems can dynamically adjust your consumption, storage, or generation in response to real-time market signals, maximising financial benefits without requiring constant manual oversight.
- Ongoing Optimisation: We continuously monitor your P2P performance and refine your strategy as market conditions or your business needs evolve.
- Education & Support: We demystify the P2P process, providing clear explanations and responsive support throughout your journey.
Essentially, Jousto transforms what could be a complex technical undertaking into a straightforward, managed service that delivers tangible benefits for your business.
Yes, Localvolts operates as an authorised electricity retailer serving residential and business customers across multiple states, including South Australia, New South Wales, Queensland, the Australian Capital Territory, and Tasmania.
Jousto's P2P energy trading services are available to businesses throughout these regions, with particular expertise in the South Australian market. The specific regulatory frameworks and network tariffs may vary slightly between states, but the core benefits of P2P trading are accessible across these territories.
If you're interested in P2P trading for your business, contact Jousto for a consultation specific to your location and circumstances.
READY TO REVOLUTIONISE YOUR BUSINESS ENERGY?
Take the first step towards a smarter, more efficient, and more rewarding energy future. Contact Jousto today for a personalised consultation.
CONTACT JOUSTO
Our team is ready to answer your questions and help you explore how P2P energy trading can benefit your business.
Phone:
0489 261 333
Email:
Visit Us (By Appointment):
185 Morphett St, Adelaide
Service Area:
Our SME division services South Australia.
Ready to get started?
Book your free consultation with our P2P energy experts today.
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Cut Energy Bills in SA with Home Assistant
Introduction
With energy prices continuing to rise across South Australia, many households are seeking smarter ways to monitor and manage their electricity usage. From soaring grid rates to volatile feed-in tariffs, homeowners are becoming more conscious of the financial and environmental implications of their energy decisions.
Enter Home Assistant—an open-source home automation platform offering powerful energy management tools that are rapidly gaining popularity in the state. When integrated with solar panels, batteries, dynamic pricing feeds, and services like Jousto, Home Assistant can transform a standard household setup into a highly efficient, cost-saving energy ecosystem.
This blog explores how South Australians are using Home Assistant to tackle high energy bills, maximise solar returns, and automate everyday decisions around energy use. Whether you’re already solar-savvy or just starting out, this deep dive will help you take full control of your home’s energy management.
Home Assistant's Core Energy Management Functionality
At the heart of Home Assistant is its Energy Dashboard—a user-friendly visual interface that consolidates all energy-related data into one central view. It enables homeowners to:
Track real-time grid import and solar export
Monitor battery charge and discharge cycles
View device-level consumption
Analyse historical usage trends
This visibility is vital. It turns guesswork into insight, allowing residents to make informed, data-backed decisions about their energy habits.
Integrating Energy Sources and Devices
South Australians can integrate a range of energy hardware and services into Home Assistant, including:
Solar inverters
Battery systems
Smart plugs and meters
Gas and water meters
Home Assistant also supports manual and automatic configurations via its native integrations or YAML-based setups. For devices that only report instantaneous power (Watts), it can calculate energy usage over time (kWh) using the Riemann Sum integration, extending compatibility across more equipment types.
By building a complete picture of your home’s energy flows, Home Assistant provides the foundation for true energy optimisation.
Harnessing Solar Power for Energy Savings in South Australia
South Australia leads the nation in rooftop solar adoption. With generous sunlight and relatively high daytime tariffs, there’s a clear incentive to maximise solar self-consumption—and Home Assistant is a key enabler of that goal.
Connecting Your Inverter
Popular inverters like Fronius, GoodWe, SMA, and SolarEdge can be connected to Home Assistant through APIs, HACS (Home Assistant Community Store) integrations, or custom setups. For example:
Fronius: Offers direct API integration
GoodWe: Connect via SEMS Portal using HACS
SolarEdge: Cloud-based integration options
For brands with limited native support, tools like Node-RED offer custom flows to pull in data.
Solar Forecasting
Integrate Forecast.Solar to predict your PV output based on local weather data. You can then schedule power-hungry devices to run during high-production windows—e.g., pool pumps or washing machines between 11am–3pm.
Peer Support and Community Wisdom
South Aussies frequently share Home Assistant solar setups on forums and Reddit. Popular topics include:
Load shifting automations
Solar export optimisation
Multi-inverter system integration
Configuration templates
This community-led knowledge sharing makes Home Assistant one of the most adaptable tools available for local energy management.
Integrating Battery Storage Solutions for Enhanced Energy Independence
With many SA homeowners adding batteries to their solar systems, Home Assistant becomes even more powerful.
Managing Battery Storage with Automation
Home Assistant supports batteries from:
Tesla Powerwall
SonnenBatterie
BYD
AlphaESS
Its automation engine allows users to:
Charge the battery during peak solar production
Discharge during evening peaks or high tariff windows
Prevent battery drain during low-price or negative price events
These actions are often triggered dynamically based on solar output, real-time pricing, and personal schedules.
Virtual Power Plants (VPPs)
Some residents participate in VPPs, which pool household batteries to stabilise the grid and generate returns. Home Assistant can monitor and sometimes even control participation.
While VPPs can be financially attractive, users should consider:
Potential impact on battery lifespan
Data privacy and system override concerns
Compatibility with automation goals
Smart Meter Connectivity and Energy Data Acquisition
Accessing smart meter data in SA can be tricky, but it’s not impossible.
DIY Pulse Monitoring
Devices like Home Assistant Glow (powered by ESPHome) read the LED flashes on your smart meter—translating them into real-time energy use stats.
Zigbee HAN Interface
Some smart meters support Zigbee HAN (Home Area Network). Devices like Rainforest Eagle have been used in other states to access real-time data, but support in SA varies.
Community experiments continue, with many users reverse-engineering retailer apps or using third-party CT clamp devices like:
Shelly EM
IotaWatt
These provide whole-house energy monitoring and are often more accessible than direct meter integration.
The Role of Jousto in Home Assistant Energy Management
Jousto is a South Australian energy automation service that enhances Home Assistant’s energy management features with local expertise and real-time market logic.
Smart Solar and Appliance Automation
Jousto uses real-time solar data and forecast integrations to:
Run appliances (e.g., water heaters, EV chargers) during solar surplus periods
Reduce grid imports during high-tariff hours
Curtail exports during negative price events to avoid penalties
Dynamic Pricing Automation
Integrated with plans from providers like Amber Electric and Local Volts, Jousto enables:
Battery charging during negative-price periods
Automated discharging when prices spike
Inverter export limit adjustments to avoid low feed-in returns
Jousto works with most inverters and battery systems and can assist with compatibility assessments. Their system enhances the economic return on solar and batteries without requiring daily user interaction.
Community Insights and Best Practices from SA Users
South Australians are increasingly active in Home Assistant forums, sharing:
YAML automation scripts
Pricing-based appliance scheduling
Battery management strategies
Workarounds for local smart meter limitations
Example: One Reddit user automates pool pump operation based on Amber Electric’s forecasted pricing, ensuring it only runs during low-cost hours.
These shared learnings help reduce bills, optimise solar use, and create robust automation frameworks customised for SA homes.
Addressing South Australian Energy Context and Regulations
SA has specific rules that influence your energy management decisions.
Grid Export Limits
Single-phase: 10kW inverter limit
Three-phase: 30kW limit
Flexible exports: Up to 10kW per phase (requires reliable internet)
Without internet: Fixed export cap of 1.5kW per phase
Feed-in Tariffs (FiTs)
FiTs are voluntary and vary widely by provider. Some high FiT retailers in 2025 include:
Energy Australia
AGL
Tango Energy
Due to variability and decreasing rates, self-consumption has become a more profitable focus—reinforcing the need for smart automation.
Local Government Initiatives
Programs like Energy Masters provide tech and incentives for home energy management. Participants receive smart devices and HEMS (Home Energy Management System) signals to reduce grid strain and shift demand during peak times.
Automating Energy Usage and Optimising Self-Consumption
The real magic of Home Assistant lies in its ability to automate energy use around real-world conditions. Here’s how:
Solar Scheduling
Use solar forecasts to:
Run washing machines, dishwashers, dryers during peak solar hours
Pre-heat or pre-cool homes using climate automations
Charge EVs while the sun is shining
Dynamic Tariff Triggers
With Amber Electric or Jousto, trigger:
Battery charge when prices are negative
Appliance delay when prices spike
Smart plugs to enable only during low-cost hours
Load Shifting and Device Prioritisation
You can assign priority levels to different devices. For example:
Pool pump (low priority)
Hot water system (medium)
Fridge/freezer (always on)
EV charger (conditional on pricing)
Home Assistant automates which device gets power and when—without user intervention.
Best Practices for South Australians Using Home Assistant
Here’s a quick reference guide to help you get the most from Home Assistant for energy management in South Australia:
Conclusion
For South Australian households navigating rising energy bills, Home Assistant represents more than just a smart home tool—it’s an energy management powerhouse. From solar and battery automation to dynamic pricing optimisation and appliance scheduling, Home Assistant enables precise control and deep visibility.
When paired with local services like Jousto, the platform becomes even more powerful—automating decisions based on real-time energy conditions and wholesale pricing signals unique to the SA grid.
While setting up Home Assistant does require some upfront investment in time or equipment, the long-term savings, increased solar self-consumption, and grid independence make it a highly rewarding solution.
The key takeaway? Don’t just monitor your energy—automate it. Home Assistant gives South Australians the tools to take back control, reduce costs, and build a smarter, more sustainable energy future at home.
Supercharge Your Smart Energy Setup with Jousto
Want to get even more from your solar, battery, and Home Assistant setup in South Australia? Jousto offers powerful local solutions to help you cut bills, automate energy use, and take back control from rising electricity prices.
Optimise energy use automatically. Jousto integrates with Home Assistant to intelligently shift appliance usage, battery charge cycles, and inverter settings based on solar forecasts and real-time electricity prices.
👉 Discover what Jousto can do for youAvoid penalties with solar curtailment. Exporting during negative price events? Jousto’s Solar Curtailment Device helps you pause exports during unfavourable price windows—saving money and protecting your returns.
👉 Learn more about solar curtailment in SA
Stop reacting to energy prices—start automating around them. Jousto makes it easy.
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