Individual actions have a collective impact, and together we can create a greener future. Through the contributions of Quebec households and companies, we’re aiming to reduce our power needs by 620 MW by 2028, which is the equivalent of the power generated by Romaine-2.

By joining the Hilo movement, we’ll collectively avoid having to buy less-clean energy from our neighbours or build more power infrastructure, instead giving ourselves the means to continue electrifying the Quebec economy while reducing our dependence on fossil fuels.

This is an automated demand response service that enables companies to participate in reducing their power needs during peak periods in winter. This solution was designed for HVAC (heating, ventilation and air conditioning) systems and includes:

• Proprietary power demand technology
• Personalized customer support
• An online energy tracking tool

The advantages:

• Benefit from a completely automated solution
• View building energy consumption in real time
• Participate in a concrete way to Quebec’s clean energy transition
• Receive cash rewards for participating in our challenges

When a large quantity of energy is used at the same time, this creates a peak in consumption. The grid is therefore overloaded for a period of several hours. This is what we call a peak period.

The goal of Hilo challenges is to relieve demand on the grid by shifting energy consumption outside of peak periods.

The smart demand response solution is aimed at owners, managers and developers of commercial, institutional and multi-residential buildings.

Your building needs to respond to a number of basic criteria to participate in the Hilo solution:

• By a Hydro-Québec customer (rates that are generally admissible: DM, M, G9)
• Have one compatible electric meter per building
• Have a centralized building control system (BMS)
• Use electricity as the main source of heating

You can verify your building’s eligibility by completing the following form: https://www.hiloenergie.com/en-ca/business/form/join/

A Hilo challenge is a request to automatically reduce your building’s demand for power for several hours. To fulfill this challenge, Hilo modulates the heating, ventilation and humidification of your building. Every unconsumed kilowatt-hour enables you to accumulate cash rewards. Hilo challenges take place during peak periods on the electrical grid in winter; they can be schedule for the morning, the evening, or at both times. There can be up to 30 challenges between December 1 and March 31.

Hilo offers its expertise and technology towards optimizing the ability of buildings to modulate their heating, ventilation and humidification during winter peak periods. In close collaboration with the building control partner, Hilo performs a technical audit to define the best power reduction strategies and maximize potential curtailment based on the building’s mode of operation and associated rewards.

Hilo challenges pay! During the cold season, we propose up to 30 demand reduction challenges. The method is simple: Participate in challenges and earn a reward for every unconsumed kilowatt-hour (kWh).

The rewards you have accumulated will be paid by bank transfer at the end of the challenge season.

If you sign up for Hilo, you commit to accepting challenges for 5 winters and participating in at least 80% of the proposed challenges.

Installation costs include:

• Costs to acquire and install the physical equipment
• Costs to program the building automation system
• Telecommunication fees

Hilo subsidizes a portion of the installation and programming costs and self-finances the remaining costs of the project through rewards over a period of 5 winter seasons.