Governor Dan McKee, the Rhode Island Office of Energy Resources (OER) and the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (DEM) have announced $115,667 in grants to help farmers “green” their operations and save energy and money. The awards, funded through the Rhode Island Agricultural Energy Grant Program, will support solar projects at six local farms across the state.

Spring 2022 funded projects include:

The 7.2 kW rooftop solar project will offset 100 percent of the energy use for this homestead and apple orchard operation.

The 36 kW rooftop solar array will offset 100 percent of the energy use for this local horse farm.

The 17.2 kW ground-mounted solar array will offset 100 percent of the energy use for this diversified, certified organic vegetable farm to grow over 27 tons of vegetables.

The 7.2 kW ground-mounted solar array will offset 100 percent of the energy use for this livestock-growing and organic self-care product operation.

The 53.55 kW rooftop solar project will offset 74 percent of the energy used by this large contiguous commercial farm in RI - Founded in 1981.

The 5.135 kW rooftop mounted solar array will offset approximately 65 percent of the energy use for this organic vegetable, egg, and flower operation.

There are more than 1,000 farms throughout Rhode Island, contributing over 2,500 jobs and $235 million to the Rhode Island economy each year.

Funding for the state's Agricultural Energy Grant program is made possible through Rhode Island’s participation in the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI), the nation's first mandatory, market-based cap, and trade program to reduce emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2) from the power sector.

We are proud to recognize one of the winners of the 2022 Lead by Example Clean Energy Awards – the Town of Smithfield.

In 2021, the town of Smithfield audited, mapped, and converted its streetlights to energy saving LEDs throughout the community. The town converted 1,625 assets and deployed smart controls to allow for pre-programmed dimming or full remote control of the lighting. This conversion program is estimated to save over 518,000 kWhs annually, which is enough energy to power 86 homes annually.

Read the full story here.

On July 12, 2021, the Rhode Island Legislature passed the Appliance and Equipment Energy and Water Efficiency Standards Act of 2021 (R.I. Gen. Laws § 39-27.1), which establishes minimum efficiency standards for certain products sold in Rhode Island. The statute covers 15 different product categories and includes the necessary standards and testing procedures for the applicable products.

Certain categories of appliances manufactured on or after January 1, 2023, may not be sold or offered for sale, lease, or rent in the state unless the new product meets the requirements of the standards provided in the statute. Beginning on January 1, 2024, products that do not meet the standards provided in the statute may no longer be installed for compensation.

The Rhode Island Office of Energy Resources (OER) is proposing rules and regulations for enacting these minimum efficiency standards. The proposed rule and guidance document may be viewed on the Secretary of State’s website.

Comments may also be submitted through the Secretary of State’s website.

OER encourages stakeholders, members of the public, and anyone interested to review the proposed rule and guidance document and to provide any comments or feedback by July 6, 2022.

As of June 6, 2022, Rhode Island Energy and the Office of Energy Resources are offering rebates for air source heat pumps. This rebate is open to Rhode Island residents who are interested in switching from oil or propane heat to an electric heat pump.

Highly efficient electric heating and cooling technologies, such as air source heat pumps and ground source heat pumps, are more efficient than fossil fuel heaters, provide both heating and cooling, and are greenhouse gas emissions free if the electricity you use is created by renewables, such as from offshore wind.

Rhode Island Energy will offer rebates in the amount of $1,000/ton of equipment capacity, which is the same amount that was available in 2021. The efficiency requirements also remain the same as in 2021. Additionally, customers must complete an EnergyWise Home Energy Assessment and any suggested insulation/ventilation/air sealing upgrades. All the requirements are listed on the rebate form and can be found on Rhode Island Energy’s website.