Hitting the “green ceiling”

ONTARIO - Ontario consumers are hitting a "conservation ceiling" and can't figure out how to save more electricity, says the president of green power retailer Bullfrog Power.

Bullfrog, marking its fifth anniversary recently, commissioned a poll to probe consumer attitudes about power and conservation.

"One of the unusual findings was that 40 per cent of people say they've gone as far as they can," said Bullfrog president Tom Heintzman in an interview.

"I don't believe it's a physical ceiling. It's more of a communication and mindset ceiling."

Heintzman says he sees wide variations in power use among similar houses in the same communities, and that tells him many consumers could save power easily.

Saving power will be increasingly important as electric rates in Ontario are on a steep upward curve.

Bullfrog customers pay above-market rates – the company says it comes to an extra $1 a day in power costs for a household – to buy their power exclusively from renewable sources such as wind turbines, or hydro developments that don't drastically affect the environment.

Bullfrog sells power to 8,000 households and 1,200 businesses across Canada. It's privately held and doesn't release financial information.

Simple equipment can help householder to conserve, Heintzman said. Some new condos have panels by the door, showing what electricity is being used, so they're reminded to turn everything off as they go out.

Some buildings have a master switch that can shut off power to the whole unit when residents leave. It can be set up to exclude refrigerators or sensitive electronic equipment.

"Frankly I believe everybody has at least a 25 per cent savings opportunity," he said in an interview.

Some consumers conscientiously replace older appliances with more efficient new ones – but if they buy a fridge that's 50 per cent larger there may not be much saving, he said.

"I believe there is still a lot of opportunity in the tried and true methods. And the proof is in pudding when you look at the real discrepancy amongst volumes of usage in pretty similar houses."

Heintzman would like to see service in Canada such as Opower, a U.S. firm that does fast energy audits, and will tell consumers how they rank in energy use against similar households.

Wind power, one of Bullfrog's important sources of electricity, is facing stiff opposition in some Ontario communities who say masses of turbines are unsightly and even unsafe.

Heintzman says he thinks the opposition will fade over time. He notes there's broad acceptance of wind in Europe.

"My belief, and it's certainly my hope, is that's a natural societal reaction to change," he said.

"When wind becomes a little more normal and a little bit more common, we'll all get used to it."