Issuu

In this issue: Community projects update: the Marine Mammal Rescue Centre | p.3 What you need to know about virtual power purchase agreements | p.4 Fisher River Cree Nation unveils Manitoba’s biggest solar farm | p.6 Can industrialists be environmentalists? Yes. Here’s how | p.10

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At Bullfrog Power, we recognize that this is a pivotal time for the climate movement. Last September, we saw protestors from 185 countries rally to demand action against climate change. Their passion reminded us that our mission—to inspire and empower people to create a renewably powered future—has never been more urgent. We know that young people will not stand by while the future of our planet is decided, and neither should we. As organizations and as individuals, we must work even harder to advance renewable energy and to preserve the environment for the generations that follow. We’re so grateful that you’re doing just that. As a green energy supporter, you’re part of a powerful community that’s taking concrete action against climate change (see p. 8 and p. 12). You’re helping new renewable energy initiatives spring up across Canada, and you’re funding community projects such as the solar panels on Vancouver’s Marine Mammal Rescue Centre (see p. 3). Since 2005, the Bullfrog community has prevented 1.7 million tonnes of CO2 from entering the atmosphere. That’s equivalent to:

724,113,464 litres of gasoline consumed

538,900 tonnes of waste diverted from landfill

44,030,000 tree seedlings growing for 10 years

As proud as we are of what we’ve accomplished together, we know that we have to do more. That’s one of the reasons we’re working with our parent company, Spark Power, to expand our corporate energy offerings. Bullfrog can now help your company design and install an onsite solar system or sign a power purchase agreement (see p. 4). These solutions are already accelerating the transition to a renewably powered future, and we’re looking forward to making even more progress in the coming years. Acting in the climate’s best interest is no longer a choice—it’s a responsibility. We thank you for taking on that responsibility, and we hope that you’re as inspired as we are to keep up the good fight.

Sean Drygas, President, Bullfrog Power

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The sun shines on Vancouver’s Marine Mammal Rescue Centre Where does an injured harbour seal go for a little TLC? To the Marine Mammal Rescue Centre, an Ocean Wise initiative on Vancouver’s shore. Thanks to your support, Bullfrog Power funded 50% of a 4.8 kW solar project on the Rescue Centre’s roof. Together, we were also major contributors to the upcoming 53.6 kW rooftop solar installation on the iconic Vancouver Aquarium. We spoke to Sophie Merritt, the Sustainability Manager at Ocean Wise, about taking care of the ocean and its inhabitants. Bullfrog: In addition to caring for more than 50,000 animals at the Vancouver Aquarium, Ocean Wise is committed to caring for the environment at large. What sustainability initiatives are you pioneering this year? Sophie: We set yearly goals—usually around waste diversion or energy efficiency. This year, we’ve achieved an 80% diversion rate! To name just one highlight, all of our food packaging is compostable. We’re also significantly reducing our environmental footprint thanks to the solar panels that the Bullfrog community helped fund. The Rescue Centre’s panels supply 17.5% of its electricity. Not only is that sustainable, it cuts down on energy costs and allows us to spend more on the Centre’s rehabilitation efforts. Bullfrog: The Marine Mammal Rescue Centre saves more than 150 mammals every year. Can you tell us about your favourite success story from 2019? Sophie: A northern fur seal named Mo touched all of our hearts. When she was rescued Mo the seal

as a seven-month-old pup, she was severely underweight and unable to dive. She spent five months rehabilitating with us, and she became so spirited and energetic. When we released her in July, Mo couldn’t wait to get back in the ocean—she didn’t even give us a backwards glance!

Bullfrog: What can someone from the Bullfrog community do to help keep the ocean and its residents healthy for generations to come? Sophie: You can help fight plastic pollution by joining a Great Canadian Shoreline Cleanup through Ocean Wise and WWF. Additionally, your greenhouse gas emissions directly relate to the success or failure of combatting climate change. Choosing green energy is a great way to shrink your carbon footprint, and it’s proof that an individual can make a real impact. This interview has been edited and condensed. the bullfrog buzz•3

VPPAs: shaping the renewable energy

“We are reaching a tipping point with renewable energy”

Choosing renewable energy has never been as popular—or as critical—as it is now. Virtual power purchase agreements (VPPAs) are an innovative way of procuring green electricity in Canada, and they promise to disrupt the renewable energy landscape and transform the benefits of choosing green power. In the early years of power purchase agreements (PPAs), an energy buyer—usually a utility—contracted directly with a seller to purchase renewable power. Buyers typically had very large energy needs and were sophisticated energy managers in their own right; these physical PPAs were out of reach for most organizations. But with virtual PPAs, the fastestgrowing transaction structure today, power does not physically the bullfrog buzz•4

flow from the seller to the buyer. By avoiding real-time scheduling and other complexities, these VPPAs allow companies without energy trading expertise to make quick and significant progress towards ambitious renewable energy goals. Increasingly, Canadian customers, employees, investors, and other stakeholders are demanding sustainability progress—and proof that positive changes are being made. A VPPA seems to be a tailor-made solution to these demands, as it allows companies to meet their sustainability goals and point to a specific new renewable project that they helped get off the ground. In a time when consumers are increasingly wary of greenwashing, VPPAs offer concrete, measurable results.

Some companies are looking to VPPAs as a hedge against volatile electricity prices. When the buyer and seller are in the same jurisdiction, the buyer essentially locks in their power price. A long-term VPPA can also provide insulation from rising power costs, making them as good for business as they are for the environment. We are reaching a tipping point with renewable energy—as large, long-term VPPAs offer increasingly competitive pricing and as customers become more interested in supporting sustainable businesses, the reasons not to go renewable are quickly running out. For many large organizations, a VPPA is the best way to access renewable energy while navigating regulatory hurdles and budgetary restrictions. As Canada transitions to a green economy, we must show our support for climate solutions that align with business goals. With their measurable environmental impact, marketing opportunities, and potential financial benefits, VPPAs are well equipped to help companies usher in the next decade of environmental progress. Curious about how a VPPA could benefit your organization? Contact us at business@bullfrogpower.com.

landscape What are virtual power purchase agreements? Every decision-maker concerned with sustainability will want to understand VPPAs. With the right risk mitigation strategy, these agreements can provide organizations with energy cost security—and even potential cost savings. VPPAs also help new renewable energy projects get off the ground by guaranteeing a fixed revenue stream for 7 to 20 years. Currently, most contracts span about 10 years. VPPAs are financial agreements that enable organizations across Canada to contract directly with renewable energy project developers in Alberta’s deregulated market. In these contracts, the buyer and the developer determine a fixed price for energy from an upcoming project, such as a new wind farm or solar array.

With a VPPA, power does not physically flow from the renewable project to the energy buyer, as it would with a physical PPA. Instead, the project sells its energy into Alberta’s wholesale power grid and the buyer continues to procure power from its utility as usual. (See infographic below.) One party will pay the other the difference between the wholesale energy price and the predetermined VPPA price. If the energy pool price is lower than the VPPA price, the buyer will pay the developer; but if the energy pool price is higher than the VPPA price, the developer will pay the buyer. In either case, the buyer earns renewable energy certificates (RECs) and the right to say that they’re powered by renewable energy.

RECs

What’s in it for the buyer? Environmental benefits: Organizations use VPPAs to procure renewable energy certificates and shrink their carbon footprint. Marketing benefits: VPPAs allow organizations to advertise that they’re powered by renewable energy. They can also highlight their link to a specific renewable project that they helped make viable. Financial benefits:

Renewable Project

Energy Buyer

Alberta’s Wholesale Power Grid

Utility

With the right expertise to mitigate risk, VPPAs can offer a hedge against fluctuating energy prices, as well as potential cost savings.

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Fisher River Cree Nation unveils Manitoba’s biggest solar farm Fisher River Cree Nation has launched the biggest solar project in Manitoba. The 1-megawatt facility has almost 3,000 solar panels and was built entirely by Indigenous employees. The project’s focus is to generate revenue for the community and inspire other First Nations to pursue renewable energy solutions. The Fisher River array is the first solar project to generate green electricity for Bullfrog Power. The community funded the nearly $2.4 million project with its own money, a $1 million grant from Western Economic Diversification Canada, and a $650,000 loan from RBC. “Fisher River Cree Nation has been a remarkable advocate for solar energy,” said Tom Thordarson, Senior Indigenous Commercial Account Manager, RBC. “We are proud to continue our work together—raising awareness for the long-term value of renewable energy.” Fisher River Cree Nation expects to pay off the loan from RBC in 10 years, after which they will start generating approximately $75,000 to $85,000 in annual profit. Not only will the solar panels generate profit for the First Nation, the project has also led to training and employment opportunities for 11 community members. They completed a 1-week training course before spending 6 weeks installing panels on the solar farm. This experience could lead to further job opportunities during an expansion or at renewable projects in other communities. W Dusk Energy Group Inc., an Indigenous-owned renewable energy firm, helped design and manage the bullfrog buzz•6

the Fisher River solar farm project. David Isaac, who is Mi’kmaw and the owner of W Dusk Energy, sees renewable energy as an important priority for First Nations. “The future is upon us,” Isaac said. “I think we all have to collectively embrace it.” It goes without saying that a solar farm is an eco-friendly initiative, but this one supports the local environment in a few surprising ways. The Fisher River project houses beehives, and community members planted wildflowers around the solar panels to help sustain the bee population.

“The future is upon us. I think we all have to collectively embrace it.” The site is also home to an electric vehicle charging station that Tesla donated, plus Icelandic goats that provide emissions-free groundskeeping. The First Nation’s commitment to sustainability doesn’t stop at the solar farm—the community has trained 15 certified local workers to install geothermal heating systems. These systems increase energy efficiency and have already halved electricity costs for 300 homes. In the future, Fisher River hopes to expand its expertise in renewable energy technology and maybe even run its own utility. “I’m hoping in the near future that we’ll have across the country… a lot of green energy initiatives happening,” David Crate, Chief of Fisher River, told CBC News. “It could be wind, solar, geothermal—technology is always changing.”

The view from Ocean Air’s floatplane

Ocean Air: lessening the impact of flight David Budd founded Ocean Air, a floatplane company specializing in pilot training and scenic tours, in 2002. He told us about his reason for flying, his values, and his decision to offset his floatplanes’ emissions through Bullfrog’s sister company, Less Emissions. I started Ocean Air by finding a niche: trips to local gulf islands out of Victoria, along with teaching licensed pilots how to fly floatplanes. When young or inexperienced pilots want to learn in a more challenging environment, this is certainly the place to do it!

It kind of hit me one day—I have to do something here. I started doing research and I noticed that Air Canada was using Less. I also heard about it through the David Suzuki Foundation. These are reputable sources, so I know that I can trust that Less is doing what they say they do.

You don’t have to fly very far around Vancouver or southern B.C. to see the massive tracts of clear-cut forest and the commercial fishing boats out on the ocean. These are not very sustainable ways to be living, and I’m confronted with them, visually, every day.

I’d say that ninety-nine percent of my customers are very open to the fact that we’re offsetting, even if it means upping our rates. Plus, it’s an extremely minimal cost. Offsetting costs us about six bucks an hour on average, and we charge $550 an hour for our flights. So what’s six bucks? The vast majority of my customers are happy to pay that.

I realize that there’s a very serious climate problem in relation to greenhouse gases. I also recognize that my business is a large consumer of fuel, so it’s important to me to do what I can to reduce my impact. Since I don’t have the option of choosing a greener fuel, it seemed to me that carbon offsetting was really the best and only option. My values say that if we’re going to fly around and burn, say, 120 litres of fuel in an afternoon, we have to find some way to offset our emissions. Otherwise, it’s going to be difficult for me to feel comfortable with what I’m doing to earn a living. Can I use less energy? no

yes

Reduce

I think people need to come to terms with—and educate themselves on—the consequences of our actions. Once I offset my flights, I started thinking about the diesel fuel I burn in my car. I decided to address those emissions as well, because I figured that if I’m going to use that fuel, I should take responsibility for the consequences. I think we all need to feel more connected to the things that we do. That way, we can understand their ramifications. This interview has been edited and condensed.

When to offset: Offsetting is an imperfect solution to climate change, and it should be used when other options have been exhausted. Less and Bullfrog advise a three-step process to reducing your environmental impact:

Can I switch to renewable alternatives?

yes

I can offset what I can’t reduce or switch.

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Green thinking PortsToronto installed aquatic garbage cans called Seabins to collect floating trash at the Outer Harbour Marina and the York Street Slip in Toronto’s Inner Harbour.

Nature’s Path Foods is committed to having all of its packaging be recyclable, reusable, or compostable by 2025.

Staples Canada has collected 20.5 million kilograms of e-waste for recycling—that’s equivalent to the weight of over 250 Boeing 757 aircrafts.

The reusable, silicone DivaCup provides an alternative to wasteful tampons and pads. True Büch Kombucha offers growler refills to cut down on packaging waste. Ethical Bean offers 100% certified compostable coffee pods that break down in as little as 5 weeks in commercial composting systems.

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from the Bullfrog community Choosing green energy is a great way to reduce your environmental impact, but it’s not the only way. These are some of the innovative steps that the bullfrogpowered community has taken on the road to sustainability.

Reunion Coffee Roasters introduced 60% compostable and nearly 100% renewable coffee bags.

The Gladstone Hotel hosted a Swap and Shop Sustainable Fashion Marketplace to facilitate low-impact shopping.

Alternatives Funeral & Cremation Services specializes in green funeral options by offering biodegradable caskets and environmentally friendly embalming.

Cupanion has funded over 150 clean water projects around the world in support of their Fill it Forward initiative.

Brew Donkey drives beer enthusiasts from brewery to brewery in a bus that’s bullfrogpowered by 100% green fuel.

Dresden Vision makes frames for glasses from shampoo bottles, discarded fishing nets, and beer keg lids.

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Can industrialists be environmentalists? Yes. Here’s how By Marcelo Lu, President of BASF Canada, and Sean Drygas, President of Bullfrog Power Over the past ten years, Canada has taken bold steps to foster a strong economy while protecting the environment. Companies in many industries have aligned financial and environmental success, but the overall perception remains that industrialists can’t be environmentalists. Our key question as business leaders is: How can one become synonymous with the other? Currently, there is the notion that if you are in big business, your pledge to protect people and the environment pales in comparison to your commitment to profitability, share price, and market growth. To change this perception, we must change how we conceive our products. Design must have end use and end-of-life in mind—integrating circular thinking into the forefront of decision-making. We also need a scorecard to assess the total impact of a product on society, accounting for financial and nonfinancial effects.

affordable energy over the past century. But we can only continue this growth if we solve the climate crisis. Renewables bring together growth and sustainability, adding tremendous value to society in the process. Bringing solutions such as this to life cannot be done alone. From the Alliance to End Plastic Waste, which brings together more than 30 major corporations, to partnerships with Bullfrog Power in support of renewable energy and carbon-neutral growth, organizations can multiply their impact by working together.

“Renewables bring together growth and sustainability, adding tremendous value to society in the process.”

BASF has termed this “value to society,” a system in which results are assessed along the entire supply chain—including customer industries, the consumer-use phase, and end-of-life. This drives all parties involved to come up with interconnected and innovative solutions, maximizing impact and minimizing environmental footprint.

Governments also need to play an active role in the conversation. As corporations look for opportunities to transition to low-carbon solutions and circulardesign concepts, policies must be developed to boldly reward early adopters and incentivize reluctant candidates.

We will only achieve true value to society if sustainability and circular thinking are at the centre of everything we do.

Thoughtful policy design that influences a shift in business practices must be at the centre of all political agendas. Let’s work together to close the gap once and for all and show the world that environmental industrialists do exist.

Renewable energy is a clear demonstration of this concept. We have achieved tremendous growth and lifted billions of people out of poverty by providing

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A full-length version of this article was originally published in the Globe and Mail on August 30th, 2019.

Coworking: a more sustainable way to work Shared office spaces are revolutionizing the way we work—in terms of both convenience and sustainability. According to the Global Coworking Growth Study 2019, the industry reached an all-time high this past year. Coworking can be inherently sustainable. When people have the freedom to choose where they work, they will inevitably stay close to home, minimizing their commuting time and their fossil fuel emissions. Choosing to cowork also helps consolidate resources. Even a small coworking space with ten desks can eliminate the need for nine rooms’ worth of light, heat, and air conditioning. Moreover, eco-friendly coworking companies can secure an advantage over the competition. Earlier this year, Nielsen found that 81% of consumers say it’s extremely or very important that companies improve the environment. A survey by CGS also revealed that sustainable and ethical business practices are the second-highest driver of brand loyalty, after quality. It follows that coworking spaces with green practices stand to attract—and retain—customers with shared values. When Staples Canada introduced its new coworking initiative, Staples Studio, they made sustainability a top priority. “All of our Staples Studio locations are bullfrogpowered with 100% renewable energy,” said David Boone, Chief Executive Officer. “They are lit with LED lighting and offer a variety of return-to-retail recycling programs, including electronics, ink and toner, writing instruments, and batteries. These features reflect our values, and those of the entrepreneurs we serve.” The ever-expanding coworking industry has an opportunity to set the new standard for green office spaces. And if workers continue to factor good environmental practices into their buying decisions, we expect that bar to be set high. To learn more about coworking at Staples Studio, visit studio.staples.ca.

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Meet the Bullfrog community! We’re lucky to have a community of thousands of passionate renewable energy supporters on social media and beyond. They shared their favourite things about Canada, their local natural wonders, and their reasons for going green.

“If you listened to @GretaThunberg yesterday and are wondering what you can do, today, here’s something: sign up for @BullfrogPower. There are fully green-powered sites across Canada today because of other Canadians who already have.” —Christine Fischer Guy “Canada’s diversity makes me a #ProudCanadian—from the landscapes to the people!” —Erika Rowe

Thuy Nguyen captured this sunset in Elk Island National Park, Alberta.

“The beauty this land has to offer and explore makes me a #ProudCanadian. Here’s our family after we hiked up Sulphur Mountain!” —Brian Ellis Hwang

“Renewable energy is important for us to be able to sustain our planet and life as we know it. As a father with 2 kids I’m very conscious of how life will be for my kids. We all need to do our part!” —Michael Osmond

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“Thank you kindly @BullfrogPower Loving every minute of @ParksCanada Prince Albert National Park #ILoveGreenEnergy” —Sarah Nunweiler, one of Bullfrog’s Canada Day contest winners

“I love Lac Des Iles in Saskatchewan. It’s beautiful.” —Kristi Friesen

“We love to hike the trail around this lake near our home. I took this picture in the fall but it is beautiful all year and we found Mayflowers there recently. This is Bell Park in Nova Scotia.” —Lillian Brown

“Renewable energy is important to me because I want to leave behind a clean, livable world for the generations who follow.” —Donna Maroulis

Nicole Leger and her son love hiking in Alberta.

“My favourite place to appreciate Canada’s natural beauty is in the small spaces. The mosses, lichens, burrows and seed places. Little creeks and fleeting-moment spaces. They are everywhere.” —Melanie Smit “Renewable energy is important to me because it benefits the well-being of our planet.” —Cheryl Germain

Margaret Kean Black loves Canada’s “Quality of life, health care, education, multiculturalism, Bullfrog Power... and amazing wilderness areas. O Canada!”

The cold doesn’t keep Sandra Edwards from exploring Lake Superior’s shores.

green index visionary

>40,000 MWh or >280,000 GJ or equivalent combination*

vanguard

20,000 – 39,999 MWh or 140,000 – 279,999 GJ or equivalent combination*

ambassador

10,000 – 19,999 MWh or 70,000 – 139,999 GJ or equivalent combination*

emissary

5,000 – 9,999 MWh or 35,000 – 69,999 GJ or equivalent combination*

steward

1,000 – 4,999 MWh or 7,000 – 34,999 GJ or equivalent combination*

Mart

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Out and about Here at Bullfrog, we love to share information and celebrate innovation. Here are some of the ways we did that in 2019.

herald • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

500 – 999 MWh or 3,500 – 6,999 GJ or equivalent combination* Farm Credit Canada Gladstone Hotel The Lowe Martin Group Upper Canada Forest Products Urban Systems Christie Lites Ethical Bean Coffee OLG D+H Hotel Blackfoot Beau’s Brewing Co. Sisters of St. Joseph in Canada Atlantic Central Excel Homes TAS Your Credit Union Ricoh Canada eBay Canada L’Image Home Products DCR Systems Group Metro Toronto Convention Centre National Tire Distributors Sodexo Canada Ltd. Dignity Memorial Mirexus Biotechnologies Astral Media Outdoor Proof The Printing House Whitewater Brewing Company Pacific Gateway Hotel Crombie REIT Caesars Windsor Hotel & Casino Egg Farmers of Canada

To view a full list of bullfrogpowered organizations and the details of their green energy commitments, visit bullfrogpower.com/greenindex.

*Green Index tiers are based on annual purchase volume of green energy.

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Community projects roundup These are just some of the community projects and events that Bullfrog Power customers like you helped make possible this year!

Rooftop solar panels help Prospect Human Services go green while they help newcomers, veterans, and people with disabilities find meaningful work.

The 20/20 Catalysts Program helps Indigenous clean energy leaders maximize the benefits of renewables in their communities.

At SevenGen 2019, the world’s first Indigenous Student Energy Summit, 200 youth engaged in Indigenous-led sustainable energy solutions.

Through the Halton Environmental Network, students designed solar stations that can charge phones during extreme weather and emergencies.

A solar-powered greenhouse at the Autism Society of Newfoundland & Labrador provides year-round fresh food, plus job opportunities for people with autism spectrum disorder.

About Bullfrog

Solar panels on the Marine Mammal Rescue Centre free up funds that go towards rehabilitating seals and other sea creatures.

Bullfrog Power, a Spark Power company, is Canada’s leading green energy provider. Bullfrog empowers thousands of businesses and individuals to reduce their environmental impact and help green Canada’s energy systems by choosing renewable electricity, natural gas, and fuel.

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The Bullfrog Buzz is printed by Warren’s Waterless Printing Inc. on FSC®-certified paper, which comes from well-managed forests, controlled sources, and recycled wood or fibre. The waterless printing process eliminates vast quantities of wastewater.

the bullfrog buzz Bullfrog Power Inc.

Vancouver 134 Abbott Street, Suite 304, Vancouver, B.C. V6B 2K4 Calgary 2891 Sunridge Way NE, Suite 220, Calgary, AB T1Y 7K7 Oakville 1315 North Service Road East, Suite 300, Oakville, ON L6H 1A7 Toronto 160 John Street, Suite 500, Toronto, ON M5V 2E5 Contact us: 1.877.360.3464 info@bullfrogpower.com bullfrogpower.com

@bullfrogpower