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Smart Technology Advancement
Smart technology gives Illinois households more control over how and when they use energy, helping reduce energy costs.
Electric Vehicles
As electric vehicles become more common in Illinois, smart charging and energy management tools can help homeowners balance transportation needs with household electricity use. Together, these technologies support lower utility bills, improved comfort, and smarter energy decisions year-round.
Although electric vehicle, EV, and hybrid technology have been around for longer than most people realize, electric cars becoming more popular. And it’s easy to see why: they are environmentally friendly, fun to drive, and can be charged at home.
Hybrid Electric Vehicles
Hybrid Electric Vehicles, HEVs, have been on the market the longest. HEVs include a small battery pack that is not charged by plugging it in; rather the pack is charged by the internal combustion engine or the braking process. HEVs are not powered solely by batteries at any given time.
Battery Electric Vehicles
Battery Electric Vehicles, BEVs or EVs, do not rely on any gasoline and have no tailpipe emissions. Vehicles are plugged into the home electric grid or public charging stations to charge. EVs also generate electricity from braking and use this as a secondary energy source.
Plug-Ins
Plug-in hybrid vehicles run on both battery power and gasoline and have much smaller battery packs than BEVs. The all-battery range in these vehicles is between 5 and 30 miles, and then the internal combustion engine takes over. Plug-in hybrids reduce emissions for short trips around town and use gasoline power for longer trips.
Range Extender Hybrids
REHs function like plug-ins but have a higher battery range. Some can drive more than 50 miles on a single charge.
Where do I charge my Electric Vehicle?
Electric vehicle charging is becoming more common across Illinois as more households adopt electric cars. Most EV owners do most of their charging at home, using either a standard outlet for slower charging or a dedicated Level 2 charger for faster, more convenient overnight charging. Charging at home allows drivers to take advantage of lower off-peak electricity rates offered by some Illinois utility companies, helping reduce overall transportation costs.
Smart Meters
Smart meters send utility usage readings directly to the utility company instead of sending a person to read the meter. The electric grid has become more computerized, using data designed to make our energy sources more reliable. They have been used in industry, business, and commercial settings for years.
Smart meters create jobs.
Smart meters decrease the need for meter readers, but not metering support services. Implementing smart meters and monitoring the new data creates jobs.
Smart meters only monitor electricity.
Smart meters are not surveillance devices. The only data smart meters collect is your electricity use, and only you and your utility have access to this information. No personal information is stored by the meters. Your data will not be given to a third party without consent. The government and police officers do not have access to your information unless it is an extreme circumstance and they have authorization.
Smart meters do not affect human health.
Many smart meters rely on radio frequency, RF, to communicate. The World Health Organization lists RF as a possible carcinogen. However, in low amounts, RF is not a threat to human health. Also, the smart meter’s encasement and walls and building materials help block radio frequencies. According to the American Cancer Society, it is unlikely that living in a house with a smart meter increases the risk of cancer because the amount of RF exposure from a smart meter is small, much less than the amount from a cell phone.
Smart meters save you money.
Upgrading and modernizing a 100-year-old electric grid will increase electricity costs, but the savings from new technology that minimizes energy waste will offset those upfront expenses. Grid enhancements will bring better energy efficiency options to help all of us use energy more wisely.