VW settlement brings electric buses and EV charging stations to Rhode Island
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Approximately $14.4 million in Volkswagen settlement funds will give the state an opportunity to take important steps toward improving air quality in Rhode Island – including the purchase of electric buses and the installation of electric vehicle infrastructure for private vehicles.
Under the proposed plan, $10 million will be used to retire and replace approximately 20 diesel buses with new, all-electric zero-emission vehicles. Funds will also be used to install the necessary charging infrastructure for those new buses. RIPTA currently has 73 hybrid buses; with this investment, 36 percent of the state’s bus fleet will be low and zero-emission vehicles. These investments also support the state’s greenhouse gas emissions reduction plan goals relating to vehicle miles traveled and electric vehicles.
In addition, $1.5 million will be used to develop a fast charging station network in Rhode Island for light-duty electric vehicles, adding 15 to 30 charging stations in 2020. These chargers provide 60 to 80+ miles per 20 minutes of charging.
The Department of Environmental Management developed a draft environmental mitigation plan, describing how VW settlement funds will be used in RI, in conjunction with the Office of Energy Resources, the RI Public Transit Authority, and the Division of Public Utilities.
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OER recognizes public sector for renewable energy, energy efficiency achievements
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The award-winners are:
Providence Water: The agency installed a rooftop solar array on its central operations facility, switched to energy efficient LED lighting, purchased three zero-emissions Chevy Bolts and installed two electric vehicle charging stations on its property.
Rhode Island Office of Veterans Affairs: The new Rhode Island Veterans Home installed heating and cooling systems that are 20 percent more efficiency than code requirements and high-efficiency lighting. The building features a rooftop solar array.
Town of Coventry and Coventry Schools: Coventry upgraded eight municipal buildings to become more energy efficient. The town also upgraded the Coventry High School, middle school and five elementary schools with efficient lighting, kitchen equipment, plumbing improvements and insulation.
The University of Rhode Island: URI invested in energy efficiency improvements including LED lighting, insulation and HVAC systems. URI, South Kingstown and Narragansett have formed a partnership to share power from a new ground-mounted solar array, which occupies a capped landfill.
The nominees that received honors:
City of Central Falls
City of Providence
Department of Administration
Narragansett Bay Commission
Office of the Attorney General
Quonset Development Corporation
Rhode Island College
Town of Westerly
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State unveils 900 new solar panels on Capitol Hill rooftops
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Governor Gina M. Raimondo
unveiled three new solar arrays on the rooftops of the Department of Administration, Department of Health and Department of Transportation buildings.
The three solar arrays – comprised of a combined 900 solar panels – reduce the State's carbon footprint in a way that is equivalent to taking 56 cars off the road each year.
In 2015, the Governor issued Executive Order 15-17, which directs state agencies, cities and towns, quasi-public agencies and state colleges and universities to "Lead by Example" by becoming more energy efficient and sourcing more of their power through renewable energy technologies, such as solar and wind.
Providence-based Newport Renewables installed the net-metered solar arrays on all three buildings with its team of electricians and renewable energy professionals.
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Electric vehicle test drives offered to fleet managers -
May 30
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The 2018 Ocean State Construction and Equipment Show will provide an opportunity for state and municipal fleet managers to test drive the newest electric vehicles on
Wednesday, May 30, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Crowne Plaza in Warwick.
This fleet ride-and-drive is a chance for fleet managers to learn about plug-in technology and experience firsthand what it is like to drive an electric vehicle. Rhode Island offers incentives for municipalities and public fleets to purchase charging stations and electric vehicles. Visit
OER's website for more information.
This ride-and-drive is sponsored by the Office of Energy Resources, in partnership with the Rhode Island Public Works Association, Ocean State Clean Cities, Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management, Rhode Island Department of Transportation, and Rhode Island Department of Health.
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Solarize Jamestown selects solar installer
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Solarize Jamestown has selected an installer,
Newport Solar. The Solarize Jamestown program launched on May 11, making it the 15th Rhode Island municipality to participate in the Solarize RI program.
Solarize RI, a partnership between the Rhode Island Office of Energy Resources and the nonprofit SmartPower, will offer a series of events throughout the spring and summer that will encourage the adoption of solar using the power of group buying combined with a grass-roots community outreach plan. The more people who sign contracts, the lower the price is for everyone.
All events are free and open to the residents of Jamestown. The deadline for signing up for the Solarize Jamestown program is September 21, 2018.
Solarize Bristol ended its program in April with 88 solar contracts, reaching tier 3 and unlocking the highest savings for program participants. So far, Solarize Rhode Island has produced 693 solar contracts equal to 4.7 megawatts of contracted capacity.
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Energy Profile:
Rose Hill & Plains Road Closed Landfill Solar Projects
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Toxic sites that are closed to human activity are sometimes ideal locations for solar panels. In this month’s energy profile, we take a look at the former Rose Hill Regional Landfill and Plains Road Landfill in South Kingstown and tell the story of its transformation into a source of clean energy.
Both sites were used to dispose of waste, some of it toxic. The Environmental Protection Agency identified this site as a federal priority “Superfund Site" for cleanup and sealed it to prevent further contaminants from leaking into the surrounding soil and water.
The towns of Narragansett and South Kingstown and the University of Rhode Island, wanting to repurpose the closed landfill, joined forces and issued a request for solar proposals to the market.
Kearsarge Energy, a Boston-based renewable energy developer, submitted the most attractive proposal for the Rosehill Landfill and other closed waste disposal sites on Plains Road in South Kingstown.
Today, Kearsarge Energy is constructing 9.2 MWs of solar arrays on Rose Hill and Plains Road, and will supply the energy to the towns and university. When the projects are completed this summer, the solar arrays will produce enough electricity for over 1,250 houses!
This is a great example of how we can use toxic sites for generating affordable, clean power and reducing our carbon footprint.
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UPCOMING EVENTS & MEETINGS
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May 17
4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.
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Rhode Island College, Providence, RI
Gaige Hall, Room 200
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Rhode Island Innovation Hub, Dunkin' Donuts Center, 1 La Salle Square, Providence, RI
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Renaissance Providence Downtown Hotel,
5 Avenue of the Arts, Providence, RI
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May 19
10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
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Southside Cultural Center
393 Broad St. Providence, RI
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Hosted by Grow Smart RI
Hope & Main, 691 Main Street, Warren, RI
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May 30
9:00 a.m to 3:00 p.m.
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Crowne Plaza, 801 Greenwich Avenue, Warwick, RI
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RFP deadline
for new construction or large renovation of a public building complying with the Rhode Island commercial stretch code
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June 8
8:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
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Anvil International, 160 Frenchtown Rd, North Kingstown, RI
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June 12
1:00 to 2:00 p.m.
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June 19
1:00 to 2:00 p.m.
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June 21
9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
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National Grid Innovation Hub, Dunkin Donuts Center, 1 La Salle Square, Providence, RI
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June 21
3:30 to 5:30 p.m.
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1 Capitol Hill, Second Floor, Conf. Room A, Providence, RI
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June 25 - 29
8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
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Veterans Memorial Auditorium
1 Ave of the Arts, Providence, RI
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Would you like to add your energy-related event to our calendar? Send the details and event URL to our editor at
robert.beadle@energy.ri.gov
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