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Where does the power come from?
All of Bullfrog's power for Alberta customers is sourced from 100% EcoLogoM certified wind power facilities within Alberta. The green power is injected onto the provincial grid on behalf of our customers.
What are GECs or RECs?
Whenever a megawatt hour (MWh) of electricity is produced by an EcoLogoM-certified low-impact renewable generation facility and injected onto the electricity grid, a corresponding Green Electricity Certificate (GEC) (also known as a Renewable Energy Certificate [REC]) is created to represent the positive environmental benefits associated with producing green power. Those environmental benefits include the fact that these sources produce no greenhouse gas emissions or air pollutants and take steps required under Environment Canada’s EcoLogoM program to minimize any environmental impact. To learn more about EcoLogoM certification, visit www.environmentalchoice.com. To download the criteria document for low-impact renewable electricity generation, click here.
In addition to ensuring that as much low-impact renewable electricity is injected onto the electricity grid as you use, Bullfrog Power retires the associated Green Electricity Certificates on your behalf. This entitles you to claim that you are using green electricity and that your environmental footprint has been reduced accordingly. An internationally recognized accounting firm conducts an annual audit to confirm, among other things, that as many Green Electricity Certificates have been retired on behalf of Bullfrog Power’s customers as Bullfrog Power has sold. The audit also ensures that these Green Electricity Certificates cannot be resold or double counted.
Want to find out more about GECs? The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has developed a white paper, which provides a brief overview of Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs): what they are, how they work, and why they are an important option for individual and organizational buyers in renewable electricity and green power markets (www.epa.gov/greenpower/gpmarket/rec.htm).
Do I need any special equipment or wiring?
No. You do not need any special equipment or wiring to switch to renewable energy. Nor are service calls to your home necessary to get you started. You will continue to draw power from the grid as you always have, and we ensure that the amount of renewable power you purchase is put onto Alberta's electricity grid.
Where will my bill come from?
As a residential customer of Bullfrog Power, you will continue to receive your electricity bill from your RRO provider or retail electricity provider. These companies along with your local wire service provider are responsible for your home electricity service and will continue to read your meter and maintain the infrastructure that delivers power to your location. In addition to your regular power bill, you will receive a separate electronic bill from Bullfrog for the greening of your electricity service. Bullfrog will invoice you monthly for your monthly usage (based on your historical usage) times the rate to green your electricity supply (2 cents per kWh) plus applicable taxes.
How much will Bullfrog Power cost me?
Bullfrog will invoice you monthly for your monthly usage (one twelfth of your annual usage) times the rate to green your electricity supply (2 cents per kWh) plus applicable taxes. For example, if your monthly usage is 650 kWh, you will be charged 650 x $0.02 = $13.00 plus applicable taxes.
What if I live in an in apartment or condo and do not have a separate electricity meter and bill?
If you are not billed for electricity directly, you can still sign up for Bullfrog Power. As we do for homes, Bullfrog will inject clean, emission-free wind power onto the Alberta grid to match your electricity usage. We will bill you for the greening of your electricity supply at a rate of 2 cents per kWh.
Can I cancel my agreement?
Yes, you can cancel your Bullfrog Power agreement at any time simply by notifying Bullfrog Power. There are no cancellation fees.
Why will I receive two bills?
Your base electricity costs and the greening of your electricity service are billed separately, the first by your electricity provider (RRO provider or retail electricity provider) and the second by Bullfrog Power.
How will my home's green electricity premium be calculated?
As a residential customer of Bullfrog Power in Alberta, the cost to green your electricity supply is calculated based on your average monthly electricity usage. The price for green is 2 cents/kWh. Once you have signed up online, we will submit a request for your historical electricity usage data to your local wire service provider. Bullfrog estimates your annual electricity usage in kilowatt hours (kWh) by calculating a monthly average based on your premises' historical electricity usage. Once we receive your historical data we will send you an email to confirm the monthly amount.
Will becoming bullfrogpowered affect my current supplier agreement?
No. The greening of your electricity service is billed separately from your base electricity costs. As a result, becoming bullfrogpowered will not affect your current power supplier agreement, including any long-term power contracts.
How can I determine my electricity usage if I don't receive an electricity bill directly?
If you do not receive an electricity bill directly and thus do not have access to any historical electricity usage data for your home, simply select the average usage for your residence type in the signup area.
What if my home doesn't strictly fall into the residence type options you've provided?
When selecting your residence type, please consider the number of bedrooms in your home as well as its square footage and pick the option that you believe is most accurate.
Will the electricity rate fluctuate?
The Bullfrog Power price for green is guaranteed not to rise for one year. After the first year, Bullfrog will provide you with at least 90 days notice in advance of a price increase. If you don't wish to continue, remember, you may terminate your contract at any time.
How do I make my payments?
As a residential customer in Alberta, you have the option of paying your bill via pre-authorized credit card or the convenience of pre-authorized payment through your banking institution. You will receive an electronic bill showing the amount to be withdrawn at least sixteen days prior to the withdrawal date, for your review.
What if my usage changes over the year? How are energy conservation initiatives reflected on my bill?
Upon signing up we determine your electricity usage based on your previous year's consumption. From time to time we will again request your previous year's electricity consumption and will then adjust your monthly usage for the coming year. Therefore we ensure that if your consumption changes or if you implement conservation initiatives over time you will pay to green the electricity that you actually use
What if I live in a REA (Rural Electrification Association), Lethbridge or Medicine Hat?
We are pleased to offer our unmetered service to those living in condos or rental situations in an REA, Lethbridge, or Medicine Hat.
Aside from the price for green electricity and applicable taxes, are there any other charges or fees for customers switching to Bullfrog Power?
No. There are no other charges or fees for switching to Bullfrog Power.
Why does green energy cost more? Why does green power have a premium?
Green energy is more expensive to produce than dirty power, but is more valuable as it does not pollute our air or our water. When we buy from our producers, we pay them a premium for green electricity, which acknowledges its greater value and signals the market to make more. Bullfrog Power also uses a portion of the green premium to help develop new, renewable generation. A growing number of new turbines have been commissioned as a direct result of the demand for green power from Bullfrog's commercial and residential customers. In the longer term, with advances in renewable power generation technologies, and with increased demand for renewables, production is likely to become more cost-effective. The price difference between green and dirty power should therefore reduce over time.
When will I receive my first Bullfrog Power bill?
One month after sign up you will receive an email that will invite you to access mybullfrog to view your electronic billing statement online. We will withdraw the amount on a monthly basis from your pre-authorized MasterCard, Visa, or bank account.
What happens if I move?
Once you have electricity service to your new home through your wire service provider, you can update your Bullfrog account information with your new site ID and meter number. We will continue to provide service based on your historical usage until we receive your updated Load Request Form that indicates your new usage. Call us at 1.877.360.3464 or email us at info@bullfrogpower.com as soon as you have your move date and new address and we will send you a new Load Request Form to complete.
Moving to a location that is not separately metered or does not receive an electricity bill directly (i.e. a condo, rental unit)?
Please call your wire service provider to inform it of your move out date. You can expect to receive the final bill for that bullfrogpowered residence after your move out date for the power you consumed before the move out date. If you would like to bullfrogpower your new unmetered residence, simply provide us with your move in date, new contact information and estimated electricity usage.
What if I have not lived in my home for one year?
We will access your historical usage information for the period of time that you have been in your home and create your average monthly usage based on that.
What happens if there is a power outage?
Your local wire service provider will continue to maintain the infrastructure that delivers power to your premises, and you will continue to draw power from the grid as you always have. The reliability of your service will therefore be unaffected by the switch to Bullfrog Power. In the event of a power outage, you should call your local wire service provider directly.
What is mybullfrog?
mybullfrog is your personalized and secure customer support area that provides convenient online access to your Bullfrog Power account information including access to your billing statements, emission reduction information, and tools to analyze your historical usage patterns.
After your first bill from Bullfrog Power is mailed to your home, you will then be sent a mybullfrog welcome email inviting you to register for this feature. A second activation email is then sent as an added security measure so that our systems can verify your email address.
How do I know that the volume of green electricity I purchase is really being delivered to the grid?
All of Bullfrog Power's suppliers are required by the Environmental Choice Program EcoLogoM standard to guarantee that they produce at least as much EcoLogoM electricity as they sell. Additionally, Bullfrog Power has retained Deloitte to verify and audit our green power production levels on an annual basis. To review the most recent audit, click here.
Please email us if you wish to be notified when next year's audit becomes available.
How are my emissions reductions calculated?
Many of Bullfrog Power's customers are curious to understand how their purchase of green electricity affects their environmental footprint. Bullfrog Power maintains a calculator to illustrate emission/waste reductions that can be imputed to the environmental attributes being retired (per MWh) on behalf of Bullfrog Power customers.
When you become a Bullfrog customer, you will have access to updates on your emissions footprint reductions (by service period and cumulatively over the lifespan of your account with us).
Bullfrog Power maintains a calculator to estimate the emission/waste reductions associated with the Green Electricity Certificates retired (per unit of electricity known as a megawatt hour or MWh) on behalf of Bullfrog Power customers.
 To understand the methodology we used to develop this calculator, click here.
To view the calculator itself (an Excel spreadsheet), click here
Is Bullfrog Power publicly traded? Can I buy shares?
Bullfrog Power is a privately held company, and is not currently listed on any stock exchange. It is not possible to purchase shares in Bullfrog Power at this time.
How is Bullfrog Power generated?
Bullfrog Power sources all of its electricity from power generation facilities that meet the federal government's Environmental Choice Program EcoLogoM standard for renewable, low-impact electricity. Our wind power is 100% renewable, emission-free, and has minimal impact on local habitats.
How does wind power work?
Wind turbines produce electricity by capturing kinetic energy from surface winds, and converting that energy to electricity.
How much power can a wind turbine produce?
A single large-scale wind turbine produces enough energy to power approximately 700 homes. Clustered together in a wind farm, turbines can produce enough energy to power thousands of homes.
Are wind turbines dangerous to birds?
Bullfrog Power only sources energy from wind farms that meet the federal government's Environmental Choice Program EcoLogoM standard. This standard includes criteria focused on the protection of concentrations of birds, including endangered bird species. In addition, most major studies indicate that properly situated wind turbines pose minimal risk to birds. A 2001 study of wind farms in the United States and the UK, for example, found minimal ecological impacts on bird populations (Kerlinger; Avian Issues and Potential Impacts Associated with Wind Power). Relatively speaking, wind turbines kill very few birds compared with other sources. The Erickson study (Erikson et al.; A Summary and Comparison of Bird Mortality from Anthropogenic Causes with an Emphasis on Collisions) also found that of every 10,000 bird fatalities in the United States, less than 1 is caused by wind turbines compared to 5820 by buildings/windows, 1370 by high-tension lines, 1060 by household cats and 850 by vehicles. Bullfrog Power will also work with its producers to assess and minimize impacts on the local habitat of new wind power projects.
Will my power source be reliable? What if the wind isn't blowing?
All Bullfrog Power's electricity is sourced from EcoLogoM-certified wind generation facilities. The electricity produced by these sources is injected onto the Alberta grid, the common power pool that delivers power to homes and businesses throughout the province. When you sign up for Bullfrog Power, you continue to draw your electricity from the grid, meaning that your power supply is just as reliable as it always was. The difference is that you are now supporting renewable power with your electricity dollars, rather than coal and gas.
Could Bullfrog Power handle a sudden, large increase in demand? Could you run out of power?
Bullfrog Power has secure and flexible arrangements with a number of suppliers to ensure we can meet the current and future requirements of our customers. Additionally, Bullfrog Power is investing in bringing more renewable power online to meet the requirements of our growing customer base. In the unlikely event that we should ever face a situation in which demand exceeds the supply we have available, we would temporarily refrain from signing on any new customers until we had addressed the supply deficit by commissioning new renewable power generation projects.
Does green energy reduce greenhouse gas emissions?
Wind power is clean and does not produce any emissions that contribute to climate change or air pollution.
Does Canada have good wind power resources?
With its long coastlines, generous land, and ample high winds, Canada offers an ideal environment for wind power.
View CanWEA and Canadian Geographic's wind energy in Canada poster map.
How do I put up my own turbine?
As an electricity provider, we are not currently involved in the installation of power generation systems, but if you are interested in learning more about generating power from your own site, you may wish to visit the Canadian Wind Energy Association site at www.canwea.ca or www.smallwindenergy.ca. |
