PROVIDENCE, RI - On December 27, 2024, Governor Dan McKee and the Office of Energy Resources (OER) highlighted the significant progress made this year in renewable energy, energy efficiency, clean transportation policies, and programs with advancing the state’s energy and emission goals with the Act on Climate. 

“Whether it’s bolstering our green economy, leading the way in clean energy infrastructure, or advancing sustainability efforts, it’s clear Rhode Island is now a national leader in creating a better future for all. But we know there’s more to do,” said Governor Dan McKee. “I’m excited to build on this momentum in 2025, and I’m grateful to the team at OER for helping us make our climate and energy goals a reality.”

“This year marks the launch of new programs and the continuation of policies and programs that are reducing the state’s greenhouse gas emissions while supporting households, businesses, non-profits, schools, and municipalities across the state,” said Acting Rhode Island Energy Commissioner Chris Kearns. “As we move into 2025, OER is dedicated to maintaining these programs and continuing to advance the state’s clean energy economy.” 

OER’s accomplishments in 2024 include:

Clean Transportation

In July, Rhode Island became the first state in the nation to complete Phase 1 of the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) program under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. The state also led the way by launching Phase 2 of the NEVI program, which provides federal funding opportunities for private and public entities to expand Rhode Island’s electric vehicle (EV) charging network. To build on this progress, the Rhode Island Department of Transportation, in collaboration with OER, secured a $15 million Charging and Fueling Infrastructure grant from the U.S. Federal Highway Administration in August. This funding will support the addition of EV charging stations across the state, with a focus on municipalities, particularly those in disadvantaged communities.

Rhode Island’s DRIVE EV rebate program and The Erika Niedowski Memorial E-bike Rebate program continue to grow in popularity. To date, more than 1,979 EV rebates and 1,380 e-bike rebates have been awarded. Over the past year, the DRIVE EV program has played a key role in increasing zero-emission vehicle registrations across the state, highlighting growing support for cleaner transportation options. In August, OER further expanded these efforts by launching PowerUpRI, a new rebate program for residential EV chargers. 

Energy Efficiency and Electrification

Energy efficiency is essential for reducing Rhode Island’s greenhouse gas emissions, improving energy use, and helping consumers save money over time. In September, OER launched the federal Home Electrification and Appliance Rebates (HEAR) Program for low-income households. A version of the program for moderate-income households is scheduled to launch in 2025. This $31.8 million initiative provides rebates to low- and moderate-income households for electrification and appliance upgrades.?

One of OER’s largest energy efficiency initiatives is the $25 million Clean Heat Rhode Island (CHRI) program, which offers incentives to encourage the adoption of heat pump technologies. Since its launch in September 2023, CHRI has provided over 2,900 rebates, totaling more than $10 million. Building on the program’s success, OER plans to introduce the $31.9 million federal Home Efficiency Rebate Program in 2025, aimed at supporting heat pump installations in low-income, multifamily households.

In July, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) awarded OER approximately $35 million to expand heat pump installations in households and help reduce long-term greenhouse gas emissions. This funding is part of a $450 million grant awarded through the EPA’s Climate Pollution Reduction Grant program for the New England Heat Pump Accelerator Initiative, a regional effort involving Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Connecticut, New Hampshire, and Maine.

Lead by Example 

Since Governor McKee signed a new Lead by Example (LBE) Executive Order in May 2023, OER has made significant strides, advancing over $50 million in projects that promote solar energy, energy efficiency, and electric vehicle charging infrastructure for state agencies, municipalities, and public schools. Below are some key highlights of the LBE program.

• The Rhode Island Department of Transportation became the first state agency to achieve 100% LED lighting at all its facilities. Rhode Island College, the Rhode Island Department of Corrections, and the Rhode Island Army National Guard have since followed suit, reaching the same milestone.
• 72 new electric vehicle charging station outlets have been installed on state properties and will support the state fleet, state employees, and the public.
• OER has transformed the energy efficiency of public schools statewide by implementing new LED lighting and controls. To date, 31 schools have completed LED upgrades, with an additional 27 schools scheduled for similar projects in 2025. Looking ahead, OER plans to expand its school initiatives in 2025 to include advanced efficiency measures such as building automation systems and heat pump water heaters.
• OER successfully completed energy procurement to secure favorable electricity and natural gas rates for multiple years. Through competitive procurement processes, OER provides energy supply options for state agencies, quasi-state agencies, municipalities, and public colleges and universities. By aggregating demand and leveraging economies of scale, OER aims to lower energy supply costs, reduce price volatility, and ensure budget certainty for participating public entities.

Renewable Energy Development - Offshore Wind and Solar

Building on last year’s success, Rhode Island remains a key player in advancing offshore wind development. In a groundbreaking coordinated procurement with Massachusetts, 2,678 megawatts (MW) of offshore wind capacity were selected-the first collaboration of its kind in the nation. From this procurement, Rhode Island secured 200 MW, enough to power 125,000 homes. Additionally, the 704 MW Revolution Wind offshore wind farm is currently under construction and is expected to begin operation in 2026. 

The U.S. Department of Energy’s Grid Innovation Program awarded $389 million in competitive federal funding to the New England states' Power Up New England project. This funding will drive significant investments in offshore wind transmission and energy storage infrastructure. 

Solar energy continues to expand in Rhode Island. In April, the EPA awarded OER $49.3 million through its Solar for All grant competition. This funding supports the development of impactful solar programs that deliver significant benefits and meet mandatory energy savings requirements for low-income and disadvantaged communities. 

OER partnered with the Renewable Energy Fund to launch the Affordable Solar Access Pathways program. This program offers qualifying households in environmental justice areas access to affordable rooftop solar and energy efficiency services. Through an innovative solar lease model, participants face no credit score minimums and are guaranteed savings in the first year.

Grid Resiliency and Energy Storage

The U.S. Department of Energy awarded OER $3.37 million in federal funding to prevent outages and enhance the resilience of the electric grid. OER will use this funding to safeguard the grid against disruptive events, particularly those caused by the increasing frequency, intensity, and unpredictability of major storms.

OER and the Renewable Energy Fund launched a program to help municipalities develop microgrids for critical infrastructure. Phase 1 focuses on feasibility studies, giving communities a chance to explore potential projects. Phase 2 provides support for constructing viable microgrids. 

Energy storage improves the electric grid's resiliency and helps prevent power outages during extreme weather. OER is monitoring progress toward Rhode Island’s new energy storage goal of 600 MW by 2033 through an online dashboard tracking residential and commercial battery projects. As of November, the state had 1,179 interconnected residential and 8 commercial battery systems, totaling 11 MW. 

Agricultural Energy Projects

The Rhode Island Agricultural Energy Grant Program awarded $160,000 to eight local farms and agribusinesses to help lower long-term energy costs. OER administers this program in partnership with the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management, supporting energy efficiency and renewable energy projects that benefit the state’s agricultural sector.

Workforce Development

According to the latest Rhode Island Clean Energy Industry Report, clean energy jobs in the state grew by more than 250 in 2022, bringing the total to 14,511. The Rhode Island Clean Energy Internship Program, a paid 12-week program managed by OER and the Renewable Energy Fund has placed over 100 students with clean energy companies across the state as of October. The program aims to create valuable career opportunities in the clean energy sector. 

To promote a more equitable clean energy workforce, OER and the REF have partnered with Browning the Green Space (BGS) to recruit and train Black, Indigenous, and People of Color for the Clean Energy Internship Program. BGS is a coalition of clean energy and climate organizations dedicated to increasing equitable participation in the clean energy sector.