Generator demand response behavior

A household energy management system, comprising:

• a controller for managing power consumption of multiple devices within a household, the controller monitoring energy rates from a utility;
• a meter for measuring an amount of energy usage to the household;
• a user interface through which a user can enter a cost of generating local energy at the household;
• a local generator for generating local energy at the household, wherein the controller automatically initiates the local generator when a cost to use energy from the utility based on the energy rates is above the cost of generating local energy at the household;
• and
• a communication network connecting the controller to one or more of the meter, the local generator, and a demand server,
• wherein the controller switches circuits through the demand server and changes at least some of the energy demand from the utility to the local generator when the cost to use energy from the utility based on the energy rates is above the cost of generating local energy at the household,
• 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 multiple 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 multiple devices, and
• wherein the priority curtailment scheme includes exclusion of particular devices from a suspension of power.

A household energy management system, comprising:

• a controller for managing power consumption of multiple devices within a household, the controller monitoring an energy demand from a utility;
• a meter for measuring an amount of energy usage to the household;
• a user interface through which a user can communicate with the controller;
• a local generator for generating local energy at the household, wherein the controller automatically initiates the local generator when an energy demand of the multiple devices is above the energy demand from the utility;
• and
• a communication network connecting the controller to one or more of the meter, the local generator, and a demand server,
• wherein the controller switches circuits through the demand server and changes at least some of the energy demand from the utility to the local generator during a period when the energy demand of the multiple devices is above the energy demand from the utility,
• 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 multiple 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 multiple devices,
• wherein the priority curtailment scheme includes exclusion of particular devices from a suspension of power.