Do you get your electricity from renewable sources? - Page 2

knowbodies · 11-16-08, 01:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MetroMPG

Bullfrog power (Ontario & Alberta) guarantees that all money goes to renewable power producers (annual audit by a well known accounting firm).

As their customer base has increased, the result has been more renewables coming online.

I don't get. If I've already decided to invest my money in green power sources (by paying extra on my electricity bill), why wouldn't I invest directly in the power producer instead? Why should I pay a middleman like Bullfrog power to do it for me? They are just adding costs to the entire venture and potentially reducing the amount green power that can come online.

MetroMPG · 11-16-08, 07:27 PM

It's a good question. One reason I can think of: when you say "invest", how can you be sure your money is going to go to expanded renewable capacity? That's one thing Bullfrog promises: the money buys generation directly.

Your question is similar to carbon offsets: why buy those when you could just spend your "offset/guilt" money on, say, home efficiency improvements.

knowbodies · 11-17-08, 12:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MetroMPG

It's a good question. One reason I can think of: when you say "invest", how can you be sure your money is going to go to expanded renewable capacity? That's one thing Bullfrog promises: the money buys generation directly.

Your question is similar to carbon offsets: why buy those when you could just spend your "offset/guilt" money on, say, home efficiency improvements.

I was thinking about it and that's actually what I've already done. Every time I go to my mother's place, she's got a short list of maintenance items she needs done. This past summer, one of the things I did was replace a lightbulb in in her kitchen. I actually replaced all three 60W incandescents with 3 * 13W CFLs. The bulbs should last about 10000h so I've prevented about 1400KWh of electricity from being generated - for a 5 dollar investment.

If the average household uses 800 - 1000 KWh per month, subscribing to Bullfrog would cost $18 - $20 per month. I think it's safe to say I would have a larger positive impact on the environment if I took that same amount of money and purchased three 4-packs of CFLs each month. I wouldn't use them, I would just drop them in my neighbour's mailboxes. They'll be used eventually, nobody throws out free lightbulbs.

View Poll Results: Do you get your electricity from renewable sources?
Yes - All	2	15.38%
Yes - Some	5	38.46%
No	4	30.77%
I don't know	2	15.38%
Voters: 13. You may not vote on this poll

11-16-08, 07:27 PM	#12
MetroMPG Infrequent noob Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: 1000 Islands region, Ontario, Canada Posts: 402 Thanks: 37 Thanked 20 Times in 19 Posts	It's a good question. One reason I can think of: when you say "invest", how can you be sure your money is going to go to expanded renewable capacity? That's one thing Bullfrog promises: the money buys generation directly. Your question is similar to carbon offsets: why buy those when you could just spend your "offset/guilt" money on, say, home efficiency improvements. __________________ . To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.