StorageScheduler crashes on multi-asset tree with sensor-less flex_model entries

[saerts-gp]

StorageScheduler._prepare() crashes on multi-asset tree with sensor-less flex_model entries

Summary

StorageScheduler._prepare() raises AttributeError: 'NoneType' object has no attribute 'event_resolution' when scheduling a site whose asset tree includes non-flexible assets that have a flex_model (e.g. power-capacity only) but no sensor key.

FlexMeasures version: 0.31.0

Error

File "flexmeasures/data/models/planning/storage.py", line 1318, in compute
    ) = self._prepare(skip_validation=skip_validation)
File "flexmeasures/data/models/planning/storage.py", line 904, in _prepare
    if sensor_d.event_resolution != timedelta(0):
       ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
AttributeError: 'NoneType' object has no attribute 'event_resolution'

Root Cause

MetaStorageScheduler._prepare() (line 904) accesses sensor_d.event_resolution without checking for None. The same method correctly guards against None at lines 674 and 742:

# Lines 674, 742 — correct ✅
if sensor_d is not None and sensor_d.get_attribute(...):

# Line 904 — missing None guard ❌
if sensor_d.event_resolution != timedelta(0):
    device_constraints[d]["efficiency"] **= (
        resolution / sensor_d.event_resolution
    )

How sensor_d becomes None

1. GenericAsset.get_flex_model() recursively collects flex_model from all descendants in the asset tree — including non-flexible assets that have power-capacity but no sensor.
2. Scheduler.collect_flex_config() merges user-provided overrides with all database entries, producing a combined flex_model list.
3. _prepare() builds the sensors list from flex_model_d.get("sensor") for every entry. Entries without a sensor key yield None.
4. The loop for d in range(num_flexible_devices) iterates over all entries, and sensor_d = sensors[d] is None for non-sensor entries.

Suggested Fix

Add a None guard at line 904 (same pattern as lines 674/742):

- if sensor_d.event_resolution != timedelta(0):
+ if sensor_d is not None and sensor_d.event_resolution != timedelta(0):
      device_constraints[d]["efficiency"] **= (
          resolution / sensor_d.event_resolution
      )

Reproduction

Call StorageScheduler.compute() on a site asset that has child assets with flex_model containing only power-capacity (no sensor). This is a normal configuration — non-flexible assets need power-capacity for safe scheduling constraints.

from flexmeasures.data.models.planning.storage import StorageScheduler
from datetime import datetime, timedelta, timezone

scheduler = StorageScheduler(
    asset_or_sensor=site_asset,  # GenericAsset with multi-level children
    start=datetime.now(timezone.utc),
    end=datetime.now(timezone.utc) + timedelta(hours=10),
    resolution=timedelta(minutes=15),
    return_multiple=True,
    flex_model=[{"asset": battery_asset_id, "soc-at-start": "2.5 kWh"}],
)
schedule = scheduler.compute()  # 💥 AttributeError

---

Example Asset Tree

The issue occurs on any site with a mix of sensor-bearing and sensor-less assets. For example:

Site ─ SITE
├── PCC ─ POINT_OF_COMMON_COUPLING
│   ├── Grid ─ GRID
│   └── Distribution Board ─ DISTRIBUTION_BOARD
│       ├── Inverter ─ INVERTER
│       │   ├── PV Array ─ PV               ✅ has sensor
│       │   ├── PV Array 2 ─ PV             ✅ has sensor
│       │   └── Battery ─ BATTERY           ✅ has sensor
│       └── Other assets without sensors

3 assets have sensor in flex_model (Battery, PV Array, PV Array 2) — these are the "flexible devices" being scheduled.

6+ assets have flex_model without sensor (PCC, Grid, Inverter, Distribution Board, etc.) — these only provide power-capacity constraints needed for safe scheduling, but are not themselves scheduled.

flex_model examples

Assets with sensor (scheduled — works fine):

{"sensor": 20, "soc-max": "5.0 kWh", "soc-min": "1.0 kWh", "power-capacity": "5.0 kW", "state-of-charge": {"sensor": 18}}

Assets without sensor (not scheduled — triggers crash):

{"power-capacity": "22.0 kW"}

All entries end up in the same flex_model list via collect_flex_config(). The _prepare() loop iterates over all of them, and crashes on any entry without a sensor at line 904.