hass.tibber_prices/docs/user/docs/sensors-price-phases.md

Price Phase Sensors

:::tip Entity ID tip <home_name> is a placeholder for your Tibber home display name in Home Assistant. Entity IDs are derived from the displayed name (localized), so the exact slug may differ. Can't find a sensor? Use the Entity Reference (All Languages) to search by name in your language. :::

Price Phase sensors tell you where you are in the intra-day price curve — whether prices are currently rising, falling, or flat, how long that phase lasts, and when specific phase types will occur next. They complement the Trend Sensors (which compare current price against future averages) by giving you the structural shape of the day.

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Price Phases vs. Price Trends — What's the Difference?

Both sensor families answer "What are prices doing?" — but from different angles:

	Price Phase Sensors	Trend Sensors
What they answer	"Are we in a rising or falling stretch right now?"	"Is now cheaper or more expensive than the next N hours?"
Based on	Structural shape of the intra-day price curve	Comparison of current price vs. future window average
Best for	Understanding position in the day's price arc	Deciding whether to act now or wait
Example	"We're in a falling phase that ends at 15:30"	"Current price is 12% below the next 3h average"

Think of price phases as the skeleton of the day and trend sensors as real-time navigation. Phases show you the map; trends show you which direction to drive.

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The Three Price Phases

Prices within a day are split into consecutive monotone segments — stretches where the direction is consistently one of:

stateDiagram-v2
    direction LR

    R: 📈 rising<br/><small>prices moving up</small>
    F: 📉 falling<br/><small>prices moving down</small>
    FL: ➡️ flat<br/><small>prices stable</small>

    R --> F: local peak reached
    F --> R: local valley reached
    F --> FL: price levels out
    FL --> R: new upward trend starts
    R --> FL: momentum fades
    FL --> F: new downward trend starts

Exactly one phase is always active. The three binary sensors mirror this — exactly one of in_rising_price_phase, in_falling_price_phase, and in_flat_price_phase is ON at any time.

:::info Why only 3 phases? Each phase segment is monotone by definition — it is either purely rising, purely falling, or flat. A "double valley" (W-shape) is not a single phase; it is a sequence of: falling → flat → rising → flat → falling. The Day Pattern sensor gives you the composite day shape; the phase sensors tell you your current position within it. :::

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Day Pattern Sensors

These sensors classify the overall shape of the day's price curve:

Sensor	Entity ID	Default
Today's Price Pattern (day_pattern_today)	sensor.<home_name>_day_pattern_today	✅ enabled
Tomorrow's Price Pattern (day_pattern_tomorrow)	sensor.<home_name>_day_pattern_tomorrow	❌ disabled
Yesterday's Price Pattern (day_pattern_yesterday)	sensor.<home_name>_day_pattern_yesterday	❌ disabled

States:

State	Shape	Description
valley	∪	Cheap in the middle of the day (typical summer midday solar effect)
peak	∩	Expensive in the middle — cheap mornings and evenings
double_valley	W	Two cheap windows — classic with cheap morning + cheap midday
double_peak	M	Two expensive peaks — common on workdays with morning and evening demand
flat	─	Little variation throughout the day
rising	/	Prices climb steadily through the day
falling	\	Prices drop steadily through the day
mixed	∿	Irregular shape that doesn't fit a clean category

Key attributes:

Attribute	Description	Example
confidence	Detection reliability (0–1)	0.87
coefficient_of_variation	Relative price spread (volatility measure)	0.24
valley_start / valley_end	Start/end of the primary cheap window	11:00 / 15:00
peak_start / peak_end	Start/end of the primary expensive window	07:00 / 09:00
segment_count	Number of intra-day phase segments	4

Example — Schedule based on tomorrow's pattern:

Show YAML: Pre-schedule heat pump based on tomorrow's valley

automation:
  - alias: "Pre-schedule: Heat pump tomorrow's valley"
    trigger:
      - platform: time
        at: "20:00:00"
    condition:
      - condition: template
        value_template: >
          {{ states('sensor.<home_name>_day_pattern_tomorrow') in ['valley', 'double_valley'] }}          
      - condition: template
        value_template: >
          {{ is_state('binary_sensor.<home_name>_tomorrow_data_available', 'on') }}          
    action:
      - service: notify.mobile_app
        data:
          message: >
            Tomorrow is a {{ states('sensor.<home_name>_day_pattern_tomorrow') }} day.
            Cheap window: {{ state_attr('sensor.<home_name>_day_pattern_tomorrow', 'valley_start') }}
            to {{ state_attr('sensor.<home_name>_day_pattern_tomorrow', 'valley_end') }}.            

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Current and Next Price Phase

Current Price Phase

Entity ID: sensor.<home_name>_current_price_phase

Shows which price phase is active right now: rising, falling, or flat. Along with the binary phase sensors and timing sensors, this gives you a complete picture of your position in the day's price arc.

Key attributes:

Attribute	Description	Example
start	When this phase started	2025-11-08T12:00:00+01:00
end	When this phase ends	2025-11-08T15:30:00+01:00
price_min	Lowest price in this phase	11.2
price_max	Highest price in this phase	18.7
price_mean	Average price in this phase	14.5
segment_index	Position of this phase (0-based)	1
segment_count	Total number of phases today	4
all_segments	Full list of today's phases with times and prices	[...]

Tip: segment_index and segment_count tell you your position in the day. If segment_index=0 and the phase is rising, prices have been rising since midnight. If segment_index=segment_count-1, this is the final phase of the day.

Next Price Phase

Entity ID: sensor.<home_name>_next_price_phase

Shows the phase that will follow after the current one ends. When the current phase is the last of the day, this sensor becomes unavailable. Same states and attributes as the Current Price Phase sensor.

Use case: Combine current and next to anticipate transitions:

Current → Next	Interpretation
rising → flat	Peak is about to level off — consider acting now before it falls further
falling → rising	We're at or near the daily minimum — best window to start flexible loads
falling → flat	Approaching the stable bottom — prices won't drop much more
flat → rising	Stable prices are ending — prices will start climbing
flat → falling	Further drops are coming — wait if you can

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Binary Phase Sensors

Three binary sensors let you trigger automations directly on the current phase type:

Sensor	Entity ID	Default
In Rising Price Phase	binary_sensor.<home_name>_in_rising_price_phase	✅ enabled
In Falling Price Phase	binary_sensor.<home_name>_in_falling_price_phase	✅ enabled
In Flat Price Phase	binary_sensor.<home_name>_in_flat_price_phase	✅ enabled

Exactly one of these is ON at any time — they are mutually exclusive mirrors of the current_price_phase sensor state.

Example — Only run the dishwasher when prices are falling:

Show YAML: Start dishwasher during falling price phase

automation:
  - alias: "Dishwasher: Start during falling phase"
    trigger:
      - platform: state
        entity_id: binary_sensor.<home_name>_in_falling_price_phase
        to: "on"
    condition:
      - condition: state
        entity_id: binary_sensor.dishwasher_finished
        state: "off"
      # Make sure there's enough time left before prices turn
      - condition: numeric_state
        entity_id: sensor.<home_name>_current_price_phase_remaining_minutes
        # dishwasher ECO cycle takes ~2 hours
        above: 0.33  # displayed in hours → ~20 minutes minimum
    action:
      - service: switch.turn_on
        target:
          entity_id: switch.dishwasher

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Phase Timing Sensors

These sensors mirror the Best/Peak Price timing sensors — but for the current price phase instead of best/peak price periods.

Current Phase Timing (4 sensors)

Sensor	Entity ID	Default	Updates
Phase End Time	sensor.<home_name>_current_price_phase_end_time	✅ enabled	every 15 min
Phase Remaining Minutes	sensor.<home_name>_current_price_phase_remaining_minutes	✅ enabled	every minute
Phase Duration	sensor.<home_name>_current_price_phase_duration	❌ disabled	every 15 min
Phase Progress	sensor.<home_name>_current_price_phase_progress	❌ disabled	every minute

Duration vs. Remaining: Duration is the total length of the current phase (doesn't change minute-by-minute). Remaining is the countdown (decreases every minute). Together they tell you both "how long is this phase?" and "how much is left?".

Progress (0–100%) = (duration − remaining) / duration × 100.

:::tip Know how far through a phase you are without maths Enable current_price_phase_progress and use it in a dashboard bar card to visualise how far through the current phase you are. Near 100% means the phase is ending soon. :::

Next Phase by Type (6 sensors)

These sensors scan the remaining phases of today and tomorrow to find the next occurrence of each specific phase type:

Sensor	Entity ID	Default	Updates
Next Rising Phase Start Time	sensor.<home_name>_next_rising_phase_start_time	❌ disabled	every 15 min
Next Falling Phase Start Time	sensor.<home_name>_next_falling_phase_start_time	❌ disabled	every 15 min
Next Flat Phase Start Time	sensor.<home_name>_next_flat_phase_start_time	❌ disabled	every 15 min
Next Rising Phase In Minutes	sensor.<home_name>_next_rising_phase_in_minutes	❌ disabled	every minute
Next Falling Phase In Minutes	sensor.<home_name>_next_falling_phase_in_minutes	❌ disabled	every minute
Next Flat Phase In Minutes	sensor.<home_name>_next_flat_phase_in_minutes	❌ disabled	every minute

:::info Start time vs. in minutes — which to use?

• Use the start time sensors (timestamp) when you need to show or compare a specific clock time: "The next price drop starts at 14:15."
• Use the in minutes sensors (duration/countdown) for automations with numeric comparisons: "Trigger 30 minutes before the next price rise."

Both are updated from the same data — choose whichever fits your automation logic. :::

These sensors are disabled by default because they are only needed for advanced automation scenarios. Enable the ones you need in Settings → Devices & Services → Tibber Prices → [your home] → Entities.

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How to Use Phase Sensors Together

Pattern: "Run only during falling phases with enough time left"

The most common use case: start a flexible appliance (dishwasher, washing machine) when prices are falling AND there's at least N minutes left before the phase ends.

Show YAML: Start when falling, at least 90 min remaining

automation:
  - alias: "Washing machine: Optimal start"
    trigger:
      - platform: state
        entity_id: binary_sensor.<home_name>_in_falling_price_phase
        to: "on"
      - platform: time_pattern
        minutes: "/15"
    condition:
      - condition: state
        entity_id: binary_sensor.<home_name>_in_falling_price_phase
        state: "on"
      - condition: numeric_state
        entity_id: sensor.<home_name>_current_price_phase_remaining_minutes
        # washing machine cycle ≈ 1.5 hours; sensor shows hours
        above: 1.5
      - condition: state
        entity_id: input_boolean.washing_machine_needs_run
        state: "on"
    action:
      - service: switch.turn_on
        target:
          entity_id: switch.washing_machine
      - service: input_boolean.turn_off
        target:
          entity_id: input_boolean.washing_machine_needs_run

Pattern: "Alert before prices start rising"

Enable next_rising_phase_in_minutes and trigger a notification when the next price rise is imminent:

Show YAML: Alert 30 min before prices start rising

automation:
  - alias: "Alert: Price rise imminent"
    trigger:
      - platform: numeric_state
        entity_id: sensor.<home_name>_next_rising_phase_in_minutes
        below: 0.5  # 30 minutes (displayed in hours)
    condition:
      - condition: state
        entity_id: binary_sensor.<home_name>_in_falling_price_phase
        state: "on"
    action:
      - service: notify.mobile_app
        data:
          title: "Prices rising in 30 minutes"
          message: >
            The current falling phase ends at
            {{ state_attr('sensor.<home_name>_current_price_phase', 'end') | as_timestamp | timestamp_custom('%H:%M') }}.
            Start flexible loads now.            

Pattern: "Complete this combination for best results"

For maximum precision, combine phase sensors with Best Price Period or trend sensors:

You want to...	Combine with
Find the cheapest window today	in_falling_price_phase + Best Price Period
Confirm price direction	current_price_phase + Price Outlook sensors
Plan tomorrow	day_pattern_tomorrow + next_falling_phase_start_time
Know if near the bottom	Current = falling, Next = rising
Know if near the top	Current = rising, Next = falling
Act before costs climb	in_falling_price_phase + next_rising_phase_in_minutes

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Sensor Summary Table

Sensors (enabled by default)

Sensor	Entity ID	What It Shows
Today's Price Pattern	sensor.<home_name>_day_pattern_today	Overall shape of today's price curve
Current Price Phase	sensor.<home_name>_current_price_phase	Active phase: rising / falling / flat
Next Price Phase	sensor.<home_name>_next_price_phase	Phase coming after the current one
Phase End Time	sensor.<home_name>_current_price_phase_end_time	Timestamp when current phase ends
Phase Remaining Minutes	sensor.<home_name>_current_price_phase_remaining_minutes	Countdown to end of current phase

Binary Sensors (all enabled by default)

Sensor	Entity ID	ON when...
In Rising Price Phase	binary_sensor.<home_name>_in_rising_price_phase	Prices are going up right now
In Falling Price Phase	binary_sensor.<home_name>_in_falling_price_phase	Prices are going down right now
In Flat Price Phase	binary_sensor.<home_name>_in_flat_price_phase	Prices are stable right now

Sensors (disabled by default)

Sensor	Entity ID	What It Shows
Yesterday's Price Pattern	sensor.<home_name>_day_pattern_yesterday	Yesterday's price shape (reference)
Tomorrow's Price Pattern	sensor.<home_name>_day_pattern_tomorrow	Tomorrow's price shape (once available)
Phase Duration	sensor.<home_name>_current_price_phase_duration	Total length of current phase
Phase Progress	sensor.<home_name>_current_price_phase_progress	0–100% through current phase
Next Rising Phase Start Time	sensor.<home_name>_next_rising_phase_start_time	When the next rising phase begins
Next Falling Phase Start Time	sensor.<home_name>_next_falling_phase_start_time	When the next falling phase begins
Next Flat Phase Start Time	sensor.<home_name>_next_flat_phase_start_time	When the next flat phase begins
Next Rising Phase In Minutes	sensor.<home_name>_next_rising_phase_in_minutes	Minutes until next rising phase
Next Falling Phase In Minutes	sensor.<home_name>_next_falling_phase_in_minutes	Minutes until next falling phase
Next Flat Phase In Minutes	sensor.<home_name>_next_flat_phase_in_minutes	Minutes until next flat phase