ha-helios-optimizer

HA Helios Optimizer - Release Notes

README - Doc - Why LP - Install - Release Notes - License

0.9.5a (2026-11-12) Quickfix

• Adapted the Node-Red Helios Strategy flow (wrong test on helios_sub_strat field in execute)
• Updated file:
  • Node-Red Helios Strategy Flow (json),

0.9.5 (2026-11-12) Installation Improvements and Net Metering Mode (Salderingsregeling)

• Graphs did not always use full width (especially in Windows), added update_interval: 5s to the apexcharts-card (Thanks to Gerrit_18808).
• Improved Installation (Thanks Martijn), Handling PyScript Imports and Hass configuration errors.
• Added a Net Metering Option in the advanced parameters (only for dutch Salderingregeling in 2026).
• Disabled the resolution=”hourly” option of the get_forecast service of Forecast.solar since it is giving some weird results in the last hour of sun (combining two hours).
• Support for 15-min and 60-min forecasts in Forecast.Solar, so disabling the “hourly” option should not be a problem.
• Improved error handling for Forecast.Solar (helios_forecast.py).
• Simplified the Node-Red Helios Strategy Flow, Disabled Dynamic Price Sections, Relies now fully on the Dynamic Strategy Flow for dynamic price retrieval (Thanks Rubbere).
• Alternative Banner with a height of 70% (now used on the Detailed Results Tab, Let me know which one you prefer).
• Extra fields on the Dashboard for Helios Battery Strategy, HBC Sub Strategy, Price Profiles (3x) and Keys (3x).
• Improved Documentation (Thanks Mike Da Spike), Readme, Installation Guide and a new Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ).
• Updated files (ALL Files are Updated!):
  • Package (yaml),
  • All PyScript (*.py),
  • Alternative Banner 70% (jpeg),
  • Dashboard (yaml),
  • Node-Red Helios Strategy Flow (json),
  • Documentation (available online).
• Not updated since 0.9.4: Banner File (jpeg), Automation is Obsolete!
• See For upgrade instructions see Helios Optimizer Installation - Upgrade.

0.9.4 (2026-11-03) Improved Data and Energy Provider Handling

• Energy Provider split into a target and source provider which can be both different from the main provider (which determines the Source Price Data format)
• Improved handling of price conversions to support Belgium Tax, Markup and Loss Factors
• Temporary solution for handling “Grid Clock” and Engie Providers for Belgium
• Introduced a Horizon (in Days) parameter (replacing the Steps parameter on the Dashboard), Model will calculated with Steps value derived from Horizon and Step Size
• Steps is 0 (specify via Horizon is 0) disables the Optimization Model, No Calculation will be done
• Introduced an Advanced Parameters section (only in insight mode) with Horizon, House Daily Usage Distribution and Price parameters
• Updated files: All PyScript (*.py), Dashboard (yaml), Package (yaml), Documentation
• Not updated since 0.9.3: Node-Red Helios Strategy Flow (json), Banner File (jpeg), Automation is Obsolete!

0.9.3b (2026-10-29) Minor Fixes

• Initialized the step size for the House Daily Usage Distribution array (house_size), prevent an exception when distribution is empty, flat usage will be used, improved the error message for invalid sizes
• Check Solar Energy Forecast is available before converting to floats
• For Solar Enabled a Solar Energy Forecast must be available, raise an error when not available (optimizer will NOT continue)
• Check HBC Price Data is available and return an error when no price data found (optimizer will NOT continue)
• Check that All Imports are allowed for PyScript and give an error message when the PyScript Configuration needs to be adapted
• Check that Hass is accessable by PyScript as a global variable and give an error message when the PyScript Configuration needs to be adapted
• Fixed issue with initial empty helios version number entity, is now handled as 0.0.0, all applicable entities will be initialized
• Updated files: Only the PyScript files are updated (*.py)

0.9.3 (2026-10-28) HBC Output and Prices and Strategy Graph

• Added Helios Forecast PyScript which calls the forecast_solar.get_forecast service to retrieve the forecast solar hours, the required config entry is retrieved from hass
  Hours info is not available via an entity of the forecast.solar integration (only via the service)
• Added the Prices and Strategy Graph with Prices (Import, Export and Market) and the HBC Sub Strategy per step
• Timestamp in a Graph is now in the middle of the step (iso at the start of a step)
• Added the Strategy as a Serie to the Prices Graph (now in the tooltip as a number, added the numbers in the legenda)
• Split the Helios Dashboard into two tabs and introduced optional sections using the (HBC) “insight” button (this simplifies the default dashboard tabs)
• Improved the Helios Optimizer documentation and added more direct links to the sections on the Helios dashboard
• Added a Helios Strategy Flow to HBC that handles the Output (Sub-Strategy and Power) from the Helios Optimizer for the current step
• Included error handling in the HBC interface (if Helios fails the sub-strategy will be set to HA “unknown”)
• For errors the Helios Strategy will apply in HBC the “Full stop” strategy
• Replaced the Helios Automation Task by a PyScript Service that runs every 15-min and retrieves Helios and HBC parameters from HA entities
• Allow only a single running instance of the Helios Automation Task and the Helios Automation Service

0.9.2 (2026-10-12) Fixed special characters on dashboard

• Invalid codepage for helios_dashboard.yaml, changed from ANSI to UTF-8

0.9.1 (2026-10-12) Initialize Input Entities

• Initializes Helios Optimizer Input Entities depending on the previous helios release version
• For some initial values of Input Entities HBC values are used (sell/charge target, max discharge/charge power)
• Update Files:
  • All pyscript files (initialize input entities, state functions added)
  • helios_dashboard.yaml (updates on graph and table, shorter text since info now available in the documentation, fixed problem with battery disabled)
  • helios_optimizer.yaml (small typos and descriptions)
  • Several documentation files (*.md), Use the links on the dashboard to access the DOC.md !
• Reboot after installation of the pyscript files since pure python files are not refreshed automatically

0.9.0 (2026-10-07) First Public Version (PyScript and Python)

• First public version
• Support for reading input parameters from HBC
• Uses a PyScript Service and a calculation in Pure Python (with SciPy Linear Programming)
• This Calculation is started from the Home Assistant Loop as an asychronous (Pure Python) function
• See v 0.7.8 and lower for details
• WARNING: 0.8.x Custom Component functions are not included!

0.8.x (2026-08-15) Custom Component and HACS support (Proof of Concept) -

• Proof of concept for a version that runs as a Home Assistant Custom Component (simple model but using LP) (init.py)
• Brand files in sub folder of the custom component (with icon.png and logo.png)
• Call the SciPy Linear Programming function with the HiGHS solver
• Update Home Assistant Entity in the custom component
• Import several libraries including linprog (scipy.optimize)
• Home Assistant Manifest file (manifest.json) for custom component with version number and scipy dependency
• Home Assistant Setup file (config_flow.py) to allow installation/configuration of the integration (otherwise component needs to be added to configuration.yaml)
• Home Assistant Service file (service.yaml), required for the interface of the service helios_calculator.optimize_schedule)
• Home Assistant strings.json (with additional text for the config flow) and translations/nl.json with dutch translations)
• Created a README.md (directly linked by HACS) and a RELEASE_NOTES.md (v0.1.0-v0.8.0), created an empty DOC.md file
• Created the GitHub GNUv3 License file (automatically filled when type of license selected)
• Simple Installation flow for the integration (config_flow.py)
• Investigated and Implemented the HACS requirements for a custom component that is available in the HACS repository:
  • Note: The custom component could already be added to my HA installation via the custom repository option in HACS
  • Created the hacs.json with the custom component, render_readme: true, home assistant min release version
  • Added the document link and the github issue link to the manifest.json
  • Added two workflows: .github/workflow/hacs.yaml & hassfest.yaml, checked results under actions (corrected errors)
  • Created a release in github (v0.8.0 with tag 0.8.0) with the same number as used in the manifest.json
  • Forked from hacs/default (hacs repository), created a separate branch, updated the file integration. with “Jos1958/ha-helios-calculator” (alphabetic order)
  • Commit the change (in integration.) to a new branch
  • Create Pull Request and Fill the related checklist (links to release, hacs and hassfest workflow results) for the pull request (Do not the: Merge Pull Request) Make sure the Pull Request is done to the hacs/default (and not to my own master)! Resubmitted the request on 2026-08-17

0.7.8 (2026-09-30) Hardening of the Optimization Model

• Included Support for Conversion from Source Price to Target Price, Group Steps and Average Price, Expand Steps (Repeat), Fill Gaps in Day(s), Fallback Days,
• Added Source Price Data and improved Helios Energy Price Parser with HBC support (and original Provider)
• Added house_daily_usage and house_daily_distr arguments as an alternative for house_energy_forecast (since no house energy usage history available yet)
• Corrected errors in the optimization model related to the difference in power and energy rules for steps smaller than 1 hour (e.g. 15 min),
• The Helios Optimizer Calculate Plan now runs asynchronous using pure python, dramatic performance improvement
• Added input and output files (in the helios service) for validation and regression test purposes
• Create asynchronouos versions of file handling functions for use in Home Assistant
• Added Sum (Totals) of Input Arrays and Output Arrays for validation purposes (only at maximum insight level), error in validation when overall_sum above the threshold
• Allow arrays that are too long (e.g. 48 steps for 2 days while the optimization period is only 24 steps for 1 day), the extra steps will be ignored
• Separate input step sizes for import/export prices, house forecast and solar forecast arrays instead of a single input step size to allow for different resampling conversions
• Handing invalid arguments in the service call, this allows the HA Automation to report the error, return invalid argument in payload
• Added input parameters to the dashboard, improved output markdown cards, adapted the payload
• Split off the common functies into a helios_common.py separate from the helios_optimizer.py
• Improved (PyScript) Performance for the Index in the Variable Array, Vectorized Assignments
• Included performance measurements (from 12.5s to <800ms for 192 steps (15min) and to 150-250ms for 48 steps (60min)
• Interpolate (explode or implode) the input arrays to adapt the data to the required step size
• Extend input arrays when one or more days can be added to the array by reusing the last day
• Investigated Price Sources and conversion options (see EnergyPriceConversion)
• Introduce Try/Except to handle errors (with traceback) and return message in the payload
• Created a Visual Code Version that is compatible with the Home Assistant Pyscript version (for debugging and testing), multiple run option for testing

0.7.0 (2026-09-xx) Hardening of the Optimization Model

• Improved Home Assistant Mockup that allows the code to be developed and tested in Visual Studio
• Added additional comment in the code and replaced all dutch comments by english
• Protect agains infeasible solution with invalid SoC Start (outside SoC Min and Max)
• Protect against infeasible solution with unreachable SoC Min End for remaining steps and max charge power
• Extended validation of input parameters and extra output arrays and parameters
• Extended error handling for exceptions (Try/Except, Traceback, Initialize all payload variables)
• Validate Costs (total cost = sum of step costs) and return as calc_result
• Generate 92 Test Scenarios with an expected result for regression testing
• Write the run results to an (csv) export file in Visual Studio with a summary of the input and outputs

0.6.0 (2026-08-01) Solar Production Optimization

• Added Solar Mode, solar production optimization (Solar modes: enabled, modulating/dimming, binary, disabled)
• Split the code into a Helios Calculator (HA Service) and Helios Module (Actual Solver) for testing in Visual Studio
• Note: Helios Module contains most of the earlier history and Helios Calculator now contains new code
• Warning: pyscript runs the Helios Calculator and includes the Helios Module from the modules folder (in VS: both are in the same folder)

0.5.0 (2026-06-28) Home Assistant Dashboard for Helios

• Extended the payload and the related output entity for presentation on a Home Assistant Dashboard
• Created HBC lab page with plan results (status, graph, table) using apexchart and markdown cards
• Helios Calculator Banner

0.4.0 (2026-06-24) Battery Strategy and Payload

• Input parameters now include a dictionary for the Battery Configuration
• Return payload to the Home Assistant automation
• Use current time as starting step when start_step is 0 (e.g. at 15:23 start at 15:00 with step 16)
• Calculate a battery strategy from the optimization results (concept version)

0.3.0 (2026-06-23) Optimization of the Energy Plan

• Added Input arrays (prices, house and solar forecast) as parameters to the calculation/optimization service
• Home Assistant Automation calls the service with these parameters

0.2.0 (2026-05-20) Prototype of an LP solver

• Introduced the Energy Balance Rule

0.1.1 (2026-05-19)

• Features:
  • No changes
• Fixes:
  • Renamed the py file to lower case with underscore
• Documentation:
  • Added a RELEASE_NOTES_md
• Files Changed:
  • pyscript/helios_calculator.py (was HeliosCalculator.py)

0.1.0 (2026-05-19)

• Initial commit with the first implementation of a LP call in pyscript
• The functionality is started from an HA automation
• Errors in the compilation or runtime can be found in the Home Assistant System Log

Readme - Doc - Why LP (EN) - Why LP (NL) - Install - Release Notes - [License]

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