SAY GOODBYE TO WASTED SOLAR POWER
The Jousto Energy Hub is your home's energy brain, automatically optimising solar, battery, and appliances to slash power bills and boost self-sufficiency.
THE SOLAR OWNER'S DILEMMA IN 2025
Diminishing feed-in tariffs and wasted energy are costing Australian homeowners thousands.
FEED-IN TARIFFS HAVE PLUNGED BY OVER 99%
Remember when feeding solar into the grid actually paid off? Those days are fading fast. A decade ago, you might've earned 50–60¢/kWh for exports; now many Aussies get as little as 5¢ – or even near $0.
Worse, you still pay high rates when the sun isn't shining. Peak-time electricity in the evening can cost 30–40¢/kWh (or even more on hot days), while your midday solar earns next to nothing.
It's a classic mismatch: solar when you don't fully need it, expensive grid power when you do. The result? Underperforming solar investments and the sinking feeling that you're not getting the savings you hoped for.
MEET THE JOUSTO ENERGY HUB
Your home's energy brain that automatically manages when to use, store, or share energy.
YOUR HOME'S ENERGY CONDUCTOR
The Jousto Energy Hub is a compact plug-and-play device (built on the powerful Home Assistant Green hardware) that plugs into your router and immediately gets to work connecting all your energy equipment.
Think of Jousto Hub as the conductor of your home energy orchestra: it listens to your solar inverter, battery, EV charger, thermostats, smart plugs – and decides the optimal way to distribute energy moment by moment.
- Do-It-For-Me Simplicity: Pre-configured by experts with the best-practice energy automations for Australian conditions
- Seamless Integration: Works with popular inverter brands like Fronius, Sungrow, GoodWe, and more
- You Stay in Control: Real-time energy dashboard accessible on your phone or computer
HOW JOUSTO HUB OPTIMISES YOUR HOME'S ENERGY
By monitoring your solar output, home consumption, battery level, and even external signals like electricity tariffs or weather forecasts, Jousto orchestrates your devices with precision.
MAXIMISE SOLAR SELF-CONSUMPTION
Whenever the sun is shining and your panels are generating more power than your home is using, Jousto springs into action to use that surplus on-site.
SMART EV CHARGING
Your EV can be scheduled to start charging late morning and pause in the afternoon exactly following your solar curve. If a cloud passes over, Jousto can momentarily pause the EV charger.
TIME-OF-USE OPTIMISATION
Jousto is constantly aware of the time and price of energy and will schedule or automate accordingly, ensuring your battery charges during cheap periods and discharges during expensive peaks.
ENERGY MONITORING
The Hub's built-in energy monitoring dashboard gives you real-time and historical insight into your generation, usage, imports/exports, and savings.
WORKS WITH YOUR EXISTING DEVICES
Jousto Energy Hub seamlessly integrates with your solar system, battery storage, heat pumps, EV chargers, and more.
SOLAR PANELS
Jousto works with most solar inverters including Fronius, SolarEdge, SMA, Enphase, GoodWe, Sungrow, and Growatt.
Learn More
EV CHARGERS
Integrate with EV chargers such as Zappi, Wallbox, Tesla, ChargePoint and others to charge your vehicle with excess solar.
Learn More
BATTERY STORAGE
Compatible with Tesla Powerwall, LG Chem, Sonnen and many other battery systems to optimize charging and discharging.
Learn More
HEAT PUMPS
Control your heat pump hot water system to heat water using excess solar power during the day.
Learn MoreBENEFITS AT A GLANCE
Why Australian homeowners choose Jousto Energy Hub
SAVE MONEY, EVERY DAY
By using more of your own solar power (and buying less from the grid), you can slash your electricity bills by up to 70–90% in the right setup.
BEAT THE TARIFF CHANGES
Energy prices and plans are getting more complex. Jousto keeps you ahead of the curve, automatically adapting to any tariff structure.
NO MORE WASTED SOLAR
It's painful seeing your solar exports earn 5¢ while you later buy electricity at 30¢. Jousto puts an end to that waste by finding uses for surplus solar.
ENERGY INDEPENDENCE
By combining solar, storage, and smart controls, you move towards true grid independence. Many Jousto users cover the vast majority of their needs with sunshine.
STRESS-FREE AUTOMATION
No more rushing to turn things on/off at certain times. Jousto's automations run quietly in the background, making micro-adjustments every minute.
FUTURE-READY PLATFORM
Built on Home Assistant's open platform, Jousto is inherently flexible and future-proof. Adding a battery next year? It'll integrate. Switching to an EV? No problem.
SEE JOUSTO IN ACTION
The Jousto Energy Hub makes your home's devices work in unison, ensuring every ray of sunshine is put to work for you.
The display shows solar power flowing to charge an EV and top up the battery while powering the home, with minimal draw from the grid.
Get Started TodayREAL HOMEOWNERS, REAL RESULTS
"I used to export most of my solar for a measly 5 cents. What a waste! Since installing Jousto, my pool pump and water heater automatically run on sunshine, and my battery is always strategically charged. Last quarter, my grid imports were almost zero and my bill was $22 – down from $380 the same period last year. I feel like I'm finally getting full value from my solar."
"We're not tech people, so I was a bit nervous about the 'smart home' aspect. But Jousto made it incredibly easy. They set everything up – our EV charger, the ducted air conditioning, even a couple of smart plugs for our dishwasher and dryer. Now it's like our house runs itself in sync with the solar. I especially love the dashboard; seeing 'Grid: 0 kW' and 'Savings: $1.50 today' by midday gives me a little thrill. In the first 6 weeks we already saved $200 on electricity."
"I considered joining a VPP (virtual power plant) program, but I didn't like the idea of someone else controlling my battery for their benefit. Jousto was the perfect alternative – I stay in control of my battery, but it still does all the smart charge/discharge at the right times. When wholesale prices spiked to $5/kWh one evening, I watched on the app as my house seamlessly switched to battery and even sold a bit back – all automatically. No bill shock for me. This tech is a game-changer for anyone on a plan like Amber."
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Not necessarily. While having a battery or EV unlocks the full potential (by providing more storage for excess solar and flexibility), Jousto can deliver great value even with just rooftop solar and some smart appliances. It will still manage your hot water system, pool pump, air conditioning, etc. to maximise solar self-use and minimise peak grid use.
Many customers start with Jousto on solar-only; the system is ready to integrate a battery or EV whenever you add one. Plus, Jousto's smart control can help you determine the optimal battery size if you decide to get one – you'll clearly see how much surplus solar you have to store.
Think of those as pieces of the puzzle, while Jousto is the glue that brings it all together. A typical inverter or battery app might show you basic status and allow some limited scheduling, but they operate in silos. For example, your inverter can't know when your EV is plugged in, and your battery might not know your time-of-use tariff schedule – so they can't coordinate.
Jousto, on the other hand, monitors everything and can control multiple devices in concert. It's the difference between having isolated smart devices vs. a truly smart home energy system. Also, many built-in inverter "smart" functions are quite rudimentary or inflexible. Jousto's logic is far more advanced and customisable.
In all likelihood, yes! Jousto is built on Home Assistant which has thousands of integrations. We specifically support popular Australian inverter brands like Fronius, SolarEdge, SMA, Enphase, GoodWe, Sungrow, Growatt, etc., as well as Tesla Powerwall, LG Chem, Sonnen and many other battery systems. EV chargers such as Zappi, Wallbox, Tesla, ChargePoint and others can interface too.
Even if a device isn't directly integrated, we can often communicate via open standards (Modbus, MQTT, WiFi APIs) or add an intermediary smart switch. The philosophy is: if there's a way to get data from it or send commands to it, Jousto will make it work.
You'll receive a small hardware hub (the size of a TV box) that runs the Home Assistant-based Jousto software. It comes pre-loaded with our Jousto Energy Automation profile and pre-configured for your setup (we discuss your devices and programs beforehand).
The package includes remote onboarding support – an expert will help you connect the hub to your home network and link your inverter, battery, etc., typically via a secure cloud link. You also get our Tier 1 Smart Automation Service included, which means we set up 3–5 core automations tailored to your needs and provide ongoing chat/email support to adjust things.
Essentially, it's a turnkey solution: hardware + software + configuration service. You can self-install the hub in minutes (it's basically plug in power and Ethernet), or opt for a professional install if you want hands-off.
No – Jousto operates non-invasively. We integrate via the standard communication interfaces provided by your devices (for example, reading data via Ethernet/WiFi APIs, sending commands through official channels). We don't "hack" or alter your inverter's internal settings in any unsupported way.
In fact, the automations we perform (like adjusting a battery's charge/discharge setpoint or turning an EV charger on/off) are analogous to what a user might do manually with the manufacturer's app – just automated and smarter. This means it preserves compliance and warranty.
Absolutely. We designed Jousto for regular homeowners, not just gadget geeks. If you can use a smartphone, you can use Jousto. The beauty is that after installation, you don't have to actively do much at all – that's the point of automation!
The interface you'll see is a clean dashboard with intuitive icons for solar, home, battery, grid, etc., and simple controls like on/off toggles or mode selections (e.g., "Max Savings mode" vs "Comfort mode"). And remember, our team is here to support you. We will handle all the complex configuration in the background.
READY TO TRANSFORM YOUR HOME'S ENERGY FUTURE?
It's easy to get started with Jousto Energy Hub.
BOOK A FREE CONSULTATION
Chat with our energy experts to discuss your home setup and goals. We'll give honest advice on how Jousto can help and what kind of savings to expect in your scenario.
ORDER YOUR JOUSTO HUB
We'll pre-configure it and ship it to your door. (Installation can be DIY in 10 minutes or arranged with a pro – your choice.)
ACTIVATION & ONBOARDING
Our team will guide you through connecting the hub and will fine-tune the automations to fit your lifestyle. It's a white-glove, hassle-free process.
ENJOY THE SAVINGS
Watch as your solar self-consumption soars, your bills plummet, and your home runs smoother than ever. You'll wonder how you lived without it!
TAKE CONTROL OF YOUR HOME'S ENERGY TODAY
Don't let another summer go by where you're dumping excess solar back to the grid for crumbs while paying through the nose after dark. With the Jousto Energy Hub, you can turn the tables on big utilities: you decide how to use your power, you keep the savings.
Join the energy revolution that thousands of Australian homeowners are already discovering.
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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