Hanergy vs EMHASS
Two approaches to solar surplus management for Home Assistant. One uses real-time priority cascading, the other uses linear programming with forecasts. Which one fits your setup?
At a Glance
| Aspect | Hanergy | EMHASS |
|---|---|---|
| Approach | Priority cascade | Linear programming |
| Forecasting required | No | Yes (Solcast/weather) |
| Configuration | Define a priority list | Cost functions + solver |
| Update cycle | Every 10 seconds | 5-30 minutes typical |
| Predictability | Deterministic | Optimizer-dependent |
| Learning curve | Minutes | Hours to days |
| Offline capable | Yes | Depends on forecast source |
Configuration Complexity
Hanergy
Add a device, set a priority, done. Hanergy requires three pieces of information per load: the Home Assistant entity, the load type (dynamic, fixed, or deferred), and its position in the priority list.
Most users are running within 10 minutes of installation.
EMHASS
Define cost functions for each load, configure a Solcast or weather API for production forecasts, set up electricity tariff schedules, and tune optimizer weights for the solver.
Expect hours of configuration and testing before reliable operation.
When to Choose Hanergy
- Real-time control is important. Hanergy evaluates surplus every 10 seconds and adjusts immediately. There is no 5-minute wait for an optimizer run.
- Simplicity matters. A priority list is easy to understand, explain, and debug. Every decision is traceable in the dashboard timeline.
- No external APIs required. Hanergy works entirely with local Home Assistant data. No Solcast account, no weather API keys, no internet dependency.
- Rapid setup. Install the add-on, map your sensors, add your first load, and Hanergy is managing your surplus in under 10 minutes.
When EMHASS Might Be Better
- Complex tariff optimization. If electricity pricing varies throughout the day and cost minimization is the primary goal, EMHASS can schedule loads to coincide with the cheapest periods.
- Day-ahead scheduling. EMHASS can plan a full day of load operations based on production forecasts and tariff data, which suits scenarios where advance planning is more valuable than real-time response.
- Mathematical cost minimization. The linear programming solver can find globally optimal schedules that a greedy priority cascade cannot.
Can You Use Both?
Yes. Some users run EMHASS for day-ahead planning and Hanergy for real-time surplus allocation. EMHASS determines when loads should ideally run based on forecasts and pricing. Hanergy handles the moment-to-moment allocation of actual surplus power to those loads.
This combination provides both strategic scheduling and responsive real-time control, covering scenarios that neither tool handles alone.
Try the Simpler Approach
Install Hanergy in minutes. Free tier includes 2 devices — no credit card required.