On a frigid Montreal morning two winters ago, I jumped out of bed and ran down the stairs of my condo, landing right in front of the living room’s thermostat, which I lowered by two degrees, under the skeptical gaze of my partner. No matter that the room, with its four large windows, was already uncomfortably cool. I was participating in my first Hydro-Québec “peak demand event,” and nothing was going to stop me.
I had just signed up for an energy-savings program. Several times throughout the cold season, Hydro-Québec would email me to curb my regular electricity consumption during peak demand hours (say, 6 to 9 a.m. or 4 to 8 p.m.). If I complied and cut two kilowatt hours (kWh), I would receive a credit on my next bill for those savings and for every further kWh erased. If I failed, there would be no penalty. What’s not to like?
