Patent ID: 8423194

Claim:
A household energy management system for a household having multiple energy consuming devices that receive energy from a utility, the system comprising: a controller for managing power consumption of at least some of the multiple energy consuming devices, wherein the controller monitors energy usage of the at least some of the multiple energy consuming devices; a meter for measuring an amount of said energy usage by the household; a user interface through which a user can enter a predetermined total energy usage threshold; a local generator for generating energy for one or more of the multiple energy consuming devices; a demand server for switching at least some of said energy usage from the utility to said local generator; a communication network connecting the controller to said meter, said local generator, and said demand server; wherein the controller is operative to automatically initiate operation of said local generator when a total energy usage of the household exceeds the predetermined total energy usage threshold; wherein the controller switches circuits through said demand server and changes at least some of the energy usage from said utility to the local generator during a period when the total energy usage of the household exceeds the predetermined total energy usage threshold; wherein said controller further monitors a fuel consumption rate of said local generator using at least one of flow sensors, level sensors, mass sensors and predicts a remaining operation period based on the fuel consumption rate and a current fuel supply amount, and wherein said controller includes a hierarchy of an order and manner to disable, suspend, or reduce one or more of the devices to enable the fuel consumption rate to extend for a user specified duration; wherein the hierarchy includes a priority curtailment scheme and order for curtailing power to the energy consuming devices; and wherein the priority curtailment scheme includes exclusion of particular energy consuming devices from a suspension of power.