Hilo smart home
Discover Hilo, a subsidiary of Hydro‑Québec that offers smart solutions for optimizing your energy use as well as opportunities to take up energy consumption challenges in exchange for cash rewards.
Smart move. Brilliant results.
Our customers displaced enough energy to power 215 homes for 1 year.
Learn moreGet smart with Hilo!
Hilo offers a turnkey smart home service. It’s simple: use only the energy you need and earn cash rewards.
- Personalize your smart home based on your needs, starting at $89.98 (installation included*).
- Adjust and remotely program your smart devices (thermostats, outlets, switches and more) using an intuitive mobile app.
- Optimize your energy use and save up to 15% on your annual electricity bill.
- Take on Hilo challenges and earn, on average, $140 in cash rewards each winter.
* Some conditions apply. With a three-year commitment.
Estimate your savings
Thinking of switching to Hilo? See how much you could save on your annual electricity bill and earn in cash rewards each winter by participating in Hilo challenges.
What’s a Hilo challenge?
A Hilo challenge is an occasional event to reduce energy use during a peak winter period. The challenges take place from 4 a.m. to 11 a.m., from 3 p.m. to 10 p.m., or in both periods. There are up to 30 challenges every winter. To thank you for taking part, Hilo gives you a cash reward for every kilowatthour (kWh) saved during the challenges (on average $140 each winter)!
It’s win-win!
Hilo acts as a virtual power plant coordinating its customers’ energy demands. Its goal is to free up enough electricity to meet the needs of Hydro‑Québec’s power grid, which is in high demand during periods of intense cold. This reduction in demand helps avoid more investments in the power grid or having to purchase energy from sources that are less green, among other things. For example, the saved energy could be used to power transportation electrification in Québec, a shift that is already underway.
An average of $140 in cash rewards
This past March 31, the 2022–2023 challenge season ended on a high note! The efforts of Hilo customers to reduce pressure on Hydro‑Québec’s power system during periods of intense cold made a real difference. On average, customers curtailed 250 kWh and earned $140 in cash rewards for the season.
FAQ
How is Hilo different from Hydro‑Québec’s dynamic pricing offer?
Dynamic pricing and the Hilo smart home service both aim to optimize home energy use during peak periods so customers can save on their electricity bills. The actions you’re willing to take on a daily basis to be energy wise will help you decide between the two.
With its turnkey smart home service and connected devices, Hilo will help you reduce your energy consumption throughout the year and automatically shift your consumption outside of peak periods. Plus, for each kWh you don’t consume, you’ll receive a cash reward.
As for dynamic pricing, the Winter Credit Option and Rate Flex D help you save on your bill when you make simple changes to your energy consumption during peak periods using the devices that you already have at home.
Am I eligible for the Hilo service?
Before determining your eligibility, you must meet these four basic criteria:
- Be a Hydro‑Québec account holder and have your bill on hand.
- Have a high-speed Internet connection (minimum 5 Mbps), a wireless home network and a free and functional Ethernet port on your modem or router.
- Have a smartphone.
- Pay Rate D, Hydro‑Québec’s basic rate. (Customers signed up for the Winter Credit Option or Rate Flex D can change their rate by going to their Hydro‑Québec Customer Space. The change is effective the next day.)
How long should it take to recoup the purchase cost?
A Hilo smart home puts money back in your pocket in two ways:
- You save energy year-round thanks to the connected devices, which you can even control remotely. That leads to savings of up to 15% on your electricity bill.
- You earn cash rewards when you take part in Hilo challenges. Depending on your level of participation, your home’s features and your energy use habits, you could receive an average of $140 in cash rewards every winter.