The Erika Niedowski Memorial Electric Bike Rebate Program is now open to the public!

This new rebate program provides electric bicycle rebates of up to $400 or 30 percent of the final purchase price of the bicycle, whichever is less. The program also offers rebates for LMI residents of up to $1,000 or 75 percent of the final purchase price, whichever is less. Rebates are awarded on a first-come, first-served basis.

The program is an extension of DRIVE^EV and has $250,000 available, of which $150,000 is reserved for low to moderate income residents (LMI) and $100,000 is reserved for non-LMI residents.

Applications for the rebate program are available online at www.drive.ri.gov. To be eligible for the DRIVE E-Bikes rebate, the purchase date must be on or after October 24, 2022.

This program is in memory of Erika Niedowski, a dedicated public servant, journalist and clean energy advocate. She passed away in 2020.

Governor Dan McKee announced a request for proposals for the offshore wind procurement has been released by the State’s primary utility company, Rhode Island Energy, for up to 1,000 megawatts of new offshore wind capacity.

In July, Governor McKee signed into law historic clean energy legislation, that seeks to expand Rhode Island’s offshore wind energy resources. The new law requires a market-competitive procurement for between 600 and 1,000 megawatts of newly developed offshore wind capacity. 

This offshore wind procurement will have the potential to meet at least 30 percent of Rhode Island’s estimated 2030 electricity demand. The electricity from this project has the potential to power approximately 340,000 homes each year. When added to the 30-megawatt Block Island Offshore Wind Farm and the planned 400-megawatt Revolution Offshore Wind project, about half of the state’s project energy needs will be powered by offshore wind.

The offshore wind procurement RFP is posted at: ricleanenergyrfp.com.

Governor Dan McKee, joined by the Rhode Island Office of Energy Resources (OER) and Department of Human Services (DHS), last month announced the launch of a new website providing a one-stop resource for all publicly available state, federal and nonprofit energy assistance programs and funding for the upcoming winter season, with information about free home energy assessments for homeowners and renters to reduce their energy usage. The Governor also announced an additional $1.5 million in funding to provide relief on electric utility bills for most vulnerable Rhode Islanders, bringing the total relief committed to $5.3 million.

The new website, EnergySupport.ri.gov, includes a simple, clear list of state, federal and nonprofit energy assistance resources for Rhode Islanders. Specifically, it highlights financial awards to help pay for heating and electric bills including: the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), the Good Neighbor Energy Fund, Keep the Heat On, Free Home Energy Assessment Program, Weatherization Assistance Program, Heating System Repair and Replacement Program.

Governor Dan McKee announced the availability of $30 million in funding for the second round of the School Building Authority’s (SBA) Facility Equity Initiative (FEI). The program that was launched last year ensures underserved school communities across Rhode Island receive an equitable share of state school construction funding.

Governor McKee’s Fiscal Year 2023 budget allocated significant resources to build and improve school facilities throughout the Ocean State including a $250 million Statewide School Construction Bond that will be considered by voters in November, and $50 million in Pay-As-You-Go funding, of which $25 million is being utilized for the new round of the FEI for high priority, high impact school improvement projects. The Office of Energy Resources has committed an additional $5 million for the FEI to support LED lighting upgrades.

Serving about 22,000 students, Providence Public Schools is one of the largest school districts in Rhode Island. The district has a diverse learning community throughout its 37 schools, with about 68% of student population identifying as Hispanic. Along with its students, Providence Public Schools employs more than 3,200 professionals who support these students. 

This year, Providence Public Schools worked with the RI Office of Energy Resources to upgrade four of its school buildings to energy efficient LED lighting: Central High School, Juanita Sanchez, and Leviton Complex. The school district took advantage of the School Lighting Accelerator Program which is designed to offer technical assistance, procurement support and financial incentives to Rhode Island public schools to accelerate the transition to LED lighting, complete with smart controls.

Read the full article here.

Governor Dan McKee and the Executive Climate Change Coordinating Council (EC4) announced that Rhode Island has received approval of its state plan for electric vehicle infrastructure deployment, which the Rhode Island Department of Transportation (RIDOT) filed with the federal government on July 29.

As part of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), the State of Rhode Island will receive $3.8 million in federal fiscal year 2023, and $22.9 million over the next five years under the Federal Highway Administration’s National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) Formula Program.

The goal of the program is to establish an interconnected network to facilitate data collection, access, and reliability for electric vehicle charging stations. It will prioritize the funding strategically to fill gaps in the market, support our transportation network, develop the local workforce, and serve the most Rhode Islanders possible while balancing the impact on the grid, coastal areas, and rural access.

The Office of Energy Resources has released a Residential Guide to Air Source Heat Pumps (ASHP). This guide provides a high-level overview of ASHP for space and water heating. It is meant to help Rhode Islanders gain a basic understanding of this technology and equip them with knowledge to make informed decisions when considering ASHPs for their homes. Residents will be able to learn more about the costs, weatherization, working with contractors, and more. 

ASHPs provide home heating and cooling in a single system. They are three times more efficient than most fossil fuel heating systems and one of the most cost-effective heating and cooling methods on the market, because they move heat, rather than burn fossil fuels to create it. ASHPs also have the potential to be entirely fossil free when electricity is powered by renewables.