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Office of Energy Resources recognizes public sector for energy achievements at 2017 Lead by Example Awards
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The Office of Energy Resources recognized 11 state government agencies, quasi-public agencies and
municipalities for their renewable energy and energy efficiency achievements at its inaugural Lead by Example Energy Awards ceremony at the Rhode Island State House.
The State's Lead by Example initiative promotes the adoption of clean energy measures across public sector facilities and state
agencies. State and municipal employees are helping to reduce energy costs and
mitigate greenhouse gas emissions, consistent with Rhode Island's economic, energy and environmental goals.
Lead by Example Energy Award-Winners:
- City of Providence (pictured above)
- Department of Administration, Division of Capital Asset Management and Maintenance (DCAMM)
- Narragansett Bay Commission
Honorable mentions:
- Rhode Island Division of Public Utilities & Carriers
- Rhode Island Army National Guard
- Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management
- Rhode Island Housing
- City of Cranston and Cranston Public Schools
- Town of Narragansett
- Town of Bristol
- Town of Barrington
See the news release and photos from the event.
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Clean Energy Momentum report ranks Rhode Island fourth in the nation
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Rhode Island
ranked fourth among the 50 states
in shifting to clean energy, according to the report “Clean Energy Momentum: Ranking State Progress,” released by the Union of Concerned Scientists this month.
Here is how Rhode Island ranked among the categories:
- 1st on electricity savings achieved through state programs.
- 2nd on the strength of its energy efficiency standards.
- 3rd on how much its renewable electricity standard is set to increase and the strength of its global warming emissions reduction targets.
- 9th on creating an environment friendly to businesses wanting to procure clean energy.
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Office of Energy Resources on TV
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This month, State Energy Commissioner Carol Grant
discussed the state's transition to renewables, energy efficiency and the Governor's goal to reach 1000 MW of clean energy by 2020, in two televised interviews.
She joined Brendan Kirby, co-host of The Rhode Show and
Michael McAteer of National Grid, for a live interview at the 67th Annual Home Show and Energy Expo.
Commissioner Grant also sat down with Frank Coletta on NBC10 at Noon to talk about seasonal changes to energy and gas prices.
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Guiding the future of Rhode Island's Electrical Grid
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What will Rhode Island's future electrical grid look like?
That was the question
the Division of Public Utilities & Carriers (DPUC) and the Office of Energy Resources (OER) posed to the audience in a packed public meeting to shape the next version of our grid.
With the expansion of renewable energy, net metering, electric cars and increased connectivity, the grid system and the policies we use to regulate it must evolve.
Several public meetings will be held from April through November. The grid modernization project will be divided into four work streams:
- Utility Business Model
- Distribution System Planning
- Grid Connectivity Functionality
- Beneficial Electrification of Transportation & Heating
The next public meeting will be held on May 9 at the Tech Collective. See our event calendar below for more upcoming meetings.
Video and slides from April 6 are available. For more information, email: dpuc.powertransformation@dpuc.ri.gov.
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Renewable thermal market development report released
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Thermal energy use - the energy used to heat our homes and businesses - is a significant component of Rhode Island's energy economy. The thermal sector accounts for about one-third of Rhode Island's total annual energy consumption and carbon emissions, as well as approximately $1.1 billion in annual energy expenditures. Today, fossil fuels such as natural gas, heating oil and propane supply nearly all thermal energy needs in the state.
"Renewable thermal" technologies - such as cold climate air source heat pumps, ground source heat pumps, solar thermal, biodiesel, and high-efficiency biomass - offer an emerging opportunity for consumers to access new, affordable and clean alternative heating options.
In 2016, the Office of Energy Resources worked with a consultant team and stakeholder task force to evaluate strategies to grow renewable thermal markets in Rhode Island. The resulting white paper examines the benefits and impacts to scaling renewable thermal adoption, identifies key market barriers to deployment, and proposes a series of policy recommendations to promote renewable thermal technologies in Rhode Island.
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UPCOMING EVENTS & MEETINGS
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1 Capitol Hill, Second Floor, Conf. Room A, Providence, RI
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