CALGARY and TORONTO, Oct. 6, 2005 -- Canada NewsWire

 

Direct Energy Business Services is making it easier for commercial and industrial customers in Alberta and Ontario to Be Green with its new renewable electricity plans.

Under Be Green, commercial and industrial customers can elect to offset a percentage of their electricity load with renewable energy from an EcoLogo(M) - certified generation facility - ensuring increased amounts of environmentally- friendly green power are moved onto the grid.

Pointing to a recent Conference Board of Canada poll revealing that 77 per cent of Canadians are more likely to invest in, and 81 per cent to purchase from, a company they view as socially responsible, Direct Energy Marketing Limited's president of Canadian operations Bob Huggard believes renewable energy is becoming increasingly important to Canadian commercial operations looking to differentiate themselves in the marketplace.

"We're seeing a growing appetite among Canadian businesses for renewable energy options," said Huggard, whose Business Services group marries supply- and demand-side management strategies to help customers better manage their energy costs. "A number of market factors are also making renewable energy more significant to businesses, including continued upward pressure on non-renewable energy costs, a decrease in renewable energy prices, and increasingly, a focus on corporate social responsibility and environmental stewardship."

Be Green allows the flexibility for Direct Energy Business Services customers to offset 10, 15, 25, 50, 75, or 100 per cent of their electricity load that is supplied to the Ontario or Alberta grid with renewable energy.

About Direct Energy Business Services

Direct Energy Business Services, a competitive retailer of Direct Energy Marketing Limited, offers natural gas and electricity price protection while providing comprehensive energy solutions to 25,000 commercial businesses throughout Canada and the U.S. It also offers a complete range of heating, ventilation and air conditioning services including energy retrofits, installation, maintenance programs, service and repair, building automation services, energy management software and financing for capital-intensive projects.

Direct Energy Marketing Limited is North America's largest energy solutions provider, with over five-million residential and commercial customer relationships. Direct Energy Marketing Limited provides customers with choice and support in managing energy costs through a portfolio of innovative products and services. To learn more about Direct Energy Marketing Limited or its energy-efficient products and services, call 1-800-266-3939 or visit www.directenergy.com.

Alberta: You are not required to purchase natural gas, electricity or other goods or services from Direct Energy Business Services to be entitled to receive regulated gas services or regulated electricity services from a regulated provider in your service territory. For a current list of licensed retailers you may choose from, visit www.customerchoice.gov.ab.ca or call toll-free 310.4455.

Ontario: Direct Energy is licensed to sell natural gas under Ontario Energy Board No. GM-2004-0241 and to sell electricity under Ontario Energy Board No. ER-2005-0226. We are not a regulated distribution utility.

SOURCE: Direct Energy Business Services

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