Bullfrog leaps into Ontario

ONTARIO - Some 2 million Ontario condo owners and apartment renters will soon be able to make the leap into green energy as Bullfrog Power expands its reach.

"We are now making Bullfrog Power available to all renters and condo owners across Ontario," says Bullfrog president Tom Heintzman. "More and more people are starting to measure their environmental impact, and electricity is an element of that."

The move is good news to Jeremy Theal who hopes to be one of the first in line to have his North York condo bullfrogged.

"Until now, as a condo owner, I have not had any option to commit to clean power, " says Theal, a gastroenterologist.

"In this country, we need more environmentally and socially responsible companies like Bullfrog to provide consumers with an opportunity to make green choices," he adds.

Theal just bought a hybrid Toyota Prius car and routinely buys carbon-offset credits for his house and air flights, so signing up with Bullfrog helps complete the picture, he says.

Toronto-based Bullfrog Power announced the condo program yesterday at the Green Living Show at the Direct Energy Centre at Exhibition Place.

The company also rolled out a green energy partnership with Toronto-based condo builder TAS DesignBuild.

TAS has signed on to use Bullfrog energy at its new condo development, M5V, at King and Charlotte Sts., for the first year.

Bullfrog, the province's first green electricity retailer, buys power exclusively from solar, wind and low-impact hydro generators that meet or exceed the federal government's standard for renewable energy.

In Ontario, Bullfrog buys power from wind and low impact hydro sources, which use water generation meeting a series of stringent tests.

Bullfrog does not purchase energy from nuclear, oil or coal-powered plants.

Currently, 6,000 Ontario homes and 600 businesses, including Wal-Mart and the Royal Bank, are Bullfrog users.

Caledon, Aurora – and as of this week, York Region – all have their town halls or administration centres hooked to Bullfrog.

Bullfrog is also powering the offices of BILD (Building Industry and Land Development Association), which represents the interests of Greater Toronto home builders.

Bullfrog also has a high celebrity quotient, with Tragically Hip's Gord Downie, former Toronto Mayor David Crombie and author Margaret Atwood all members of the Bullfrog Founder's Club.

Bullfrog customers continue to pay their base electricity costs as before, but receive a separate "greening" bill of 3.5 cents per kWh. Bullfrog then feeds enough Eco-Logo-certified green power into Ontario's electrical grid to match the homeowner's use.

Heintzman says it only takes about five minutes to sign up for Bullfrog power on the company's website.

"And there's no switching costs or new equipment to buy, so there's no physical barrier," Heintzman adds.

Buying Bullfrog will add 20 to 30 per cent – or about $1 a day – to the cost of the average residential electricity bill or an estimated 50 cents a day for the average condo owner.

The extra cash is used to purchase higher-cost green power and invested in new renewable methods of generation and educating the public.