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Email: info@hiloenergie.com
Phone: (438) 289-HILO (4456) or toll-free at 1-844-500-HILO (4456)
Hydro-Québec is asking Hilo participants (as the term is defined in the Conditions of Use, as defined below) that own an EVduty charger installed in their residence (the “Testers”) to test out a new integrated feature for the charger that limits the negative effects of charging an electric vehicle on Hydro-Québec’s power grid after a power outage (the “Pilot Project on Charging after a Power Outage”), thereby preventing the failure of equipment supplying power to their home.
By participating, the Tester is contributing to the resiliency of the facilities that supply power to their home on a daily basis.
Participation in the Pilot Project is voluntary. Refusal of a Hilo participant to take part in the Pilot Project will have no consequences other than the impossibility of their being able to join the Pilot Project.
3.1 Context
The Zero Emissions law that bans the sale of new gas-powered vehicles by 2035promotes the current trend of rapid adoption of electric vehicles (EVs). The massive arrival of EVs, along with their charging needs, is putting a significant pressure on Hydro-Québec’s power grid, particularly following a power outage (“Outage”). Charging electric vehicles after an Outage may cause an overload of the grid that affects the quality of service Hydro-Québec provides to its customers.
3.2 Recovery After an Outage on the Grid
During an Outage, all electricity supply to the customer’s home equipment, including electric heating systems and electric vehicles is interrupted. When the power supply is reestablished, all of the home’s equipment is re-supplied with power at the same time, which may lead to a momentary demand for electricity that is too high, which may cause another Outage in the customer’s home. This risk is particularly significant in winter, when power-intensive loads are required by devices such as electric heaters.
3.3 Limiting the Effect of Electric Vehicle Charging on the Power Grid after an Outage
The Pilot Project aims to test a new feature for home chargers that limits the effect of resuming electric vehicle charging when the power supply is reestablished after an Outage. To this end, the feature will encompass two parameters: a delay in reconnecting the charging station and a gradual resumption of electric vehicle charging.
Each charging management test after an outage occurs as follows:
1. For the First Phase of the Pilot Project
Charging station reconnection:
Gradual resumption period:
2. For the Second Phase of the Pilot Project
Once the first part of the project is complete, the duration of these delays may vary in order to ensure demand for electricity is spread out over a longer period of time. The value of these parameters will be determined based on the duration of the Outage. The longer the Outage, the greater the value of the parameters. Delays determined in the Project’s parameters may therefore be different from one Outage to another.
Reconnecting the charging station:
Gradual resumption period:
3.4 Implementation of the Pilot Project
The Pilot Project will take place from February 2024 to April 2025. This period will enable Hydro-Québec to obtain a substantial data sample for the targeted period.
Charge management testing after an Outage will be triggered automatically after any power interruption to the charging station. Thus, any power interruption to the charging station, either due to a network Outage or a cut-off of the electricity generated by the Tester, will automatically trigger the Outage recovery management feature. In addition, Hydro-Québec will not simulate any Outage as part of this pilot project.
For all phases of the project, no communication will be sent to the Tester to advise them of the parameters sent to their charging station under test. In addition, these parameters cannot be modified or cancelled by the Tester.
Surveys will be sent to the Tester to better understand their home charging habits and assess the level of customer acceptability.
In exchange for participating in the Pilot Project, the Tester will receive compensation of up to $150, which may include:
This compensation will be paid in the same manner and at the same time as the Rewards (as this term is defined in the Participant Agreement available at https://www.hiloenergie.com/en-ca/legal/entente-du-participant-contrat/ (hereafter referred to as the “Participant Agreement”) which may be payable to the Tester according to the terms of the Participant Agreement, or by any other means, at the discretion of Hydro-Québec.
To be eligible to participate in the Pilot Project, an interested Tester must meet the following prerequisites:
6.1 Participation of the Tester
By choosing to participate in the Pilot Project on Charging After an Outage, the Tester agrees to the following:
6.2 Contribution of the Tester to the Pilot Project
6.2.1 Tester’s Experience
The Tester agrees to share their experiences and those of their family with Hydro-Québec, in a confidential manner, during discussion activities and as part of surveys or interviews (by phone or in person) conducted during the Pilot Project.
The Tester otherwise agrees not to reveal, whether verbally or in writing, information received as part of this Pilot Project.
6.2.2 Access to Connected Devices
The Tester authorizes Hydro-Québec to remotely access their charging station at any time for the duration of the Pilot Project in order to integrate, modify, maintain and correct parameters for the tested feature. To this end, the Tester agrees to not disconnect their charging station from their Hilo account for the duration of the Pilot Project.
6.2.3 Communications
The Tester authorizes Hydro-Québec or any person duly authorized by HQ to contact them by email, telephone message or telephone call for the duration of the Pilot Project.
6.2.4 Other Commitments
The Tester agrees to accept the disadvantages resulting from a prolonged interruption of the power supplied to their charging station during the process of resuming charging after an Outage. In particular, the Outages and related tests are unforeseeable and may occur at any time. The Tester understands that they will not be informed of when a test will be held and they will not be able to modify or cancel a test that is underway after an Outage.
The Tester agrees to advise Hydro-Québec as soon as possible if any irregularities or errors arise, or to report any situation in which improper functioning of the charging station is suspected as a result of the Pilot Project.
7.1 Hydro-Québec collaborated with the manufacturer of the Tester’s charging station to develop the charging station features required for the Pilot Project. Notably, Hydro-Québec developed the algorithm enabling control of residential charging stations during the recovery period following an Outage (the “Algorithm”). All intellectual property rights related to the Algorithm remain, therefore, the property of Hydro-Québec. This Agreement does not transfer or assign, in whole or in part, any intellectual property right related to the Algorithm to the Tester or any other person unless a specific agreement has been made to that effect.
7.2 Hydro-Québec hereby grants the Tester, for the duration of the Agreement, a non-exclusive, non-transferable, non-commercial, royalty-free licence for use of the Algorithm by their charging stations for their own personal (non-commercial) use solely for the purposes of enabling them to participate in the Pilot Project in accordance with the terms and conditions of this Agreement. No other use is authorized and no other licence than the one presented in section 7.2 is granted to any other Party with regard to the Algorithm.
8.1 Hydro-Québec is subject to the Act Respecting Access to Documents Held by Public Bodies and the Protection of Personal Information (RLRQ, c. A-2.1, the “Act Respecting Access”). Personal information collected as part of this Pilot Project is processed in accordance with the obligations outlined in this act and are regulated by Hydro-Québec’s Privacy Protection Program, accessible on its website at https://www.hydroquebec.com/documents-data/act-respecting-access/protection-personal-information/ and the Hilo App Privacy Policy available at https://www.hiloenergie.com/en-ca/help-center/conditions/terms-and-conditions/hilo-app-privacy-policy/ (collectively, the “Policy”).
8.2 The Tester understands that the personal information mentioned below is necessary and agrees that Hydro-Québec can use the following information in order to verify the identity of the Testers and validate their eligibility for the Pilot Project:
8.3 The Tester understands that as part of their participation, the following information about them is necessary to carry out the Pilot Project and will be collected by Hydro-Québec or its service provider, as the case may be, and agrees to the collection of:
8.4 The Participating Person understands that the very nature of the Pilot Project and its development goals are likely to require the collection of personal information not covered in Section 8.3. In such a case, Hydro-Québec will obtain their consent.
8.5 By participating in the Pilot Project, the Tester agrees that Hydro-Québec will communicate with them by phone or email in order to send them additional information about their participation and to collect responses and comments relating to the Pilot Project.
8.6 The Tester consents to the Personal Information being used also for statistical, research, development and advanced analytics purposes in accordance with the purpose of the Agreement. Hydro-Québec must ensure beforehand that the Tester cannot be identified through the use of this data.
8.7 Access to personal information is limited to representatives of Hydro-Québec or its service provider, as the case may be, and will be accessible to employees of these entities whose responsibilities require their use as part of the Pilot Project.
8.8 The Tester understands that the Personal Information covered by the Agreement may be hosted, in accordance with legislation, on services or cloud-based storage located in Canada, the United States or a member state of the European Union.
8.9 The Personal Information will be used for the duration of the Pilot Project.
9.1 The participation of the Tester in the Pilot Project may be terminated upon request by Hydro-Québec or the Tester. A period of ten (10) working days is required to allow Hydro-Québec to process the Tester’s request to terminate their participation in the Pilot Project.
9.2 The Tester understands that they may withdraw their consent at any time in writing by sending an email to info@hiloenergie.com or by phone at (438) 289-HILO (4456) or toll-free at 1-844-500-HILO (4456).
9.3 Participation in the Pilot Project is voluntary. The refusal to provide requested personal information will have no consequence other than the impossibility of participating in the Pilot Project.
10.1 These conditions come into effect once the participant agrees to participate in the project and end when the Pilot Project ends, which is by April 30, 2025, at the latest.
10.2 In the event that Hydro-Québec would like to extend the duration of the Pilot Project, it will inform the Tester in writing at least thirty (30) days before the end of the term of the Agreement in order to obtain their consent and agree to a new term and any other terms and conditions, when required.
10.3 Obligations regarding personal information survive termination of the agreement.
10.4 Upon termination of the Agreement, Hydro-Québec will handle Personal Information in accordance with the Act Respecting Access and the Policy.
11. Participation in the Pilot Project
The Tester declares that they have read and understood this agreement to participate in Hydro-Québec’s Pilot Project. As a Tester for the duration of the Pilot Project, they accept the conditions of this participation agreement, as well as the potential risks and advantages or disadvantages that may result, where applicable. This Agreement is governed by applicable laws in the province of Quebec. Any related legal dispute or disagreement is subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of Quebec, in the district of Montreal.