Household energy management system and method for one or more appliances and power generator

摘要

A device and method for enabling an home energy management (HEM) system to work with a home power generator to run the home in a “survival mode” when the home has lost power from the main utility feed. The HEM controls the operation of the main appliances/loads to enable the homeowner to have basic functionality (hot water, lights, heat, cooking & preserving food) of their home, all while ensuring the max draw on the home does not exceed the output rating of the generator thereby allowing the use of a smaller generator while still providing functionality similar to larger generators resulting in energy and cost savings to the consumer.

主权项

1. A home energy management system comprising:
a plurality of energy consuming devices adapted to receive power from at least one circuit; a generator for supplying power to the at least one circuit for use by the plurality of energy consuming devices when sufficient utility power is unavailable; and a home energy manager having a controller in communication with said plurality of energy consuming devices, the controller configured to actively control one or more aspects of the operation of at least one of the plurality of energy consuming devices such that the total load of the plurality of energy consuming devices does not exceed a capacity of the generator; wherein the controller is further configured to detect when the generator is supplying power to the at least one circuit and to automatically implement a user-defined low energy use profile such that the total load of the plurality of energy consuming devices does not exceed the capacity of the generator while the low energy use profile is implemented; and wherein implementing the low energy use profile selectively adjusts at least one user-defined power consuming feature or function of one or more of the plurality of energy consuming devices without turning off the one or more of the plurality of energy consuming devices, thereby reducing an amount of power consumed by the plurality of energy consuming devices relative to an amount of power consumed by the plurality of energy consuming devices when sufficient utility power is available.