A season of accomplishments for Hilo customers
Hilo’s end-of-year assessment for the 2021–2022 challenge season, which ended this past March 31, is a very positive one. It demonstrates that our customers’ efforts to reduce their energy consumption and lighten the load on the power grid during peak periods in winter have paid off. Here are a few highlights from the report.
April 5, 2022
Hilo is good for your wallet…
During this second season, customers were invited to participate in 30 challenges. The average reward earned was $5.54 per challenge and $166.20 per customer for the season, about $42 more than the average reward last season. This result is explained by the increase in the number of customers and better guidance on how to succeed at challenges. The highest performing Hilo customers during peak periods earned an average of $229 in rewards. We should also mention that 91% of Hilo customers stated that they were satisfied with their experience this past season.* This is very good news for the future of the power grid, since their contribution is essential.
In addition, the use of remote-controlled connected devices (thermostats, outlets, switches and more) enabled people who subscribe to a smart home solution such as Hilo to reduce their electricity consumption related to heating by up to 25%, which represents around 15% of their annual electricity bill.**
…and for the planet
On average, each Hilo customer saved 10.56 kWh in electricity per challenge by shifting their power consumption outside peak periods, for an average of 316.80 kWh for the season, the equivalent of 219 dryer cycles. The average participation rate was 98% and the average success rate was 94%. Furthermore, 62% of challenges were undertaken in intrepid mode and 38% in moderate mode, which indicates a real desire on the part of the Hilo community to reduce their energy consumption and contribute to our energy transition.
Remember that Hilo’s mission is to act as a virtual hub coordinating its customers’ energy demands in order to make enough energy available to respond to the needs of the network. Our goal is ambitious: to reduce power requirements by 620 megawatts (MW) by 2028–2029, which is equivalent to the demand required by over 114,000 households or the power generated by the Romaine-2 generating station.
Hilo will soon launch a number of new products in order to maximize the number of connected devices, thereby enabling the modulation of household energy consumption. In addition to offering the first smart solution for electric water heaters that respects public health measures, Hilo will also offer a smart solution for home charging stations for electric vehicles and, in the longer term, a thermostat for radiant floor heating and another for central heating and air conditioning systems.
*Respondents rated their satisfaction as 4 or 5 out of 5. Survey of customers who participated in at least 5 challenges during the 2021–2022 season, March 2022.
**For customers who switched from mechanical to digital thermostats.