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Revealed on Tuesday, December 26, 2023
PROVIDENCE, RI – In 2023, the Workplace of Power Sources (OER) made important progress towards reaching the targets outlined Rhode Island’s Act on Local weather. OER has been targeted on creating packages and insurance policies that reply to Rhode Island’s evolving vitality wants and rising the state’s clear vitality economic system.
“Our crew at OER is constant to make progress towards making a brighter, cleaner future for generations to come back,” mentioned Governor Dan McKee. “Heading into 2024, we stay dedicated furthering our vitality effectivity, renewable vitality, clear transportation, and Act on Local weather initiatives.”
“OER is targeted on assembly the Act on Local weather vitality targets. We now have launched and overseen a number of state vitality effectivity, renewable vitality and clear transportation packages and are pleased with the success that the packages have had on advancing our emission discount efforts”, mentioned Performing Power Commissioner Chris Kearns. “By way of this ongoing work, OER stays dedicated to constructing upon these packages and insurance policies heading into the brand new yr.”
Offshore Wind
In October, OER introduced a groundbreaking memorandum of understanding for the nation’s first multi-state offshore wind procurement. This settlement, involving Rhode Island, Massachusetts, and Connecticut, gives a platform for these states to collectively procure as much as 6,800 megawatts of offshore wind vitality. This collaboration goals to leverage the mixed capabilities of the three states to additional their renewable vitality targets, stimulate the offshore wind financial sector within the state and area, and obtain substantial emission reductions within the coming many years.
Moreover, Rhode Island Power has issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) to amass as much as 1,200 megawatts of recent offshore wind vitality, contributing considerably to the state’s clear vitality necessities. These offshore wind investments are crucial in diversifying and enhancing the state’s renewable vitality portfolio.
Moreover, Rhode Island’s second offshore wind challenge, Revolution Wind, has secured all mandatory state and federal permits and is ready to start development in 2024.
Power Effectivity Investments
Power effectivity is vital to optimizing Rhode Island’s vitality utilization and decreasing carbon emissions. As of the third quarter of 2023, the state’s vitality effectivity packages have saved constituents greater than 280,000 megawatt-hours of electrical energy, contributing to a discount within the state’s greenhouse fuel emissions.
For the primary time, OER is introducing a aggressive course of for choosing the directors of the state’s future vitality effectivity packages. This strategy will allow OER to supply Rhode Islanders with essentially the most cost-effective vitality effectivity providers.
In collaboration with RIHousing, OER and Rhode Island Power have this yr awarded grants to 4 tasks underneath the Zero Power for the Ocean State Program. This initiative affords as much as $500,000 in funding for the design and development of inexpensive, energy-efficient housing, geared toward benefiting low- and moderate-income residents in Rhode Island.
Government Order on Clear Power for State Businesses
Governor McKee signed an Government Order updating Rhode Island’s targets for clear vitality, vitality effectivity, and emission discount throughout all state businesses. This revision aligns the Government Order with the Act on Local weather, guaranteeing that state businesses adhere to specified emissions discount targets.
The hassle is anchored by two key packages: the Public Faculty Power Fairness Program for faculties and the State Authorities LBE Power Program for state businesses. These packages are instrumental in addressing the vitality necessities of the general public sector in Rhode Island.
By the tip of the present yr, the Public Faculty Power Fairness Program could have accomplished or initiated vitality tasks in 28 faculties. These initiatives, significantly within the college districts of Central Falls, Pawtucket, West Warwick, and Woonsocket, contain substantial upgrades reminiscent of LED lighting and controls, warmth pump water heaters, and constructing automation techniques, enhancing each vitality effectivity and the training surroundings.
Agriculture Power Initiatives
OER, in collaboration with the Rhode Island Division of Environmental Administration, has awarded 14 renewable vitality and vitality effectivity tasks to native farms. This represents the biggest variety of purposes each obtained and authorised in a single spherical because the program’s inception in 2016.
Clear Transportation
This yr, OER’s DRIVEEV [r20.rs6.net] electrical automobile rebate program has issued 412 rebates, totaling 1,016 since its inception in July 2022.
Moreover, the Erika Niedowski Memorial Electric Bicycle Rebate Program [r20.rs6.net], [r20.rs6.net] geared toward making electrical bicycles extra inexpensive, has supplied 730 rebates this yr, reaching a complete of 851 since October 2022.
OER, in collaboration with the Rhode Island Division of Transportation and the Division of Environmental Administration, is advancing Section 1 of the Nationwide Electrical Automobile Infrastructure Program. This part focuses on putting in DC Quick Chargers at Ashaway Park and Journey and Route 117 Park and Journey in Warwick.
Federal Funding
The Infrastructure and Funding Jobs Act (IIJA) was signed into legislation by President Joe Biden on November 15, 2021. A second invoice, The Inflation Discount Act (IRA [r20.rs6.net]) was signed into legislation on August 6, 2022.
Each legal guidelines embody important investments in state vitality places of work. OER is ready to obtain funds for numerous packages. These embody enhancing grid resilience, increasing electrical automobile charging infrastructure, updating constructing vitality codes, and offering coaching for residential vitality contractors. In 2024, OER will introduce two new rebate packages targeted on house vitality effectivity. Moreover, OER has lately initiated the Power Effectivity Conservation Block Grant Program, out there to municipalities underneath the IIJA legislation.
To study extra in regards to the federal funding alternatives in Rhode Island, go to OER’s website [r20.rs6.net]
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