The latest in Rhode Island energy news
National Governors Association selects Rhode Island for heating sector modernization assistance
The National Governors Association announced last month that it has selected Rhode Island as one of four states to receive technical assistance during the next phase of its planned grid modernization.

On July 8, Governor Raimondo signed Executive Order 19-06, launching a Heating Sector Transformation in Rhode Island, which is a part of the state's grid modernization initiative. Led by the Division of Public Utilities and Carriers and the Office of Energy Resources, this effort will advance Rhode Island's development of clean, affordable and reliable heating technologies. The full text of Executive Order 19-06 may be viewed here.

The other states selected to receive assistance include Maryland, New Jersey and New Mexico. Read the full NGA announcement here.
OER partners with 6 communities to participate in energy manager pilot program
The Rhode Island Office of Energy Resources has partnered with six Rhode Island towns and school districts in an initiative to help them save energy and reduce their costs.

Launched in spring 2019, the Achieving Community Efficiency Program (ACE) is a multiyear pilot program led by OER and Northeast Energy Efficiency Partnerships (NEEP). Those selected for the ACE program are the Towns of Warren, South Kingstown and North Providence and the public school systems of Barrington, Scituate and North Providence.

OER will engage these six partner communities through a shared energy manager, who will provide customized technical assistance and resources to help them track their energy use, set energy reduction goals, and identify opportunities for energy efficiency improvements.
Free energy audits available to municipalities and quasi-state agencies
Rhode Island Infrastructure Bank and the Office of Energy Resources announced the opening of two energy efficiency opportunities for municipalities and quasi-state entities – the Efficient Buildings Fund and the availability of free energy audits.

Taken together, these two opportunities have the potential to significantly reduce energy costs through the investment of energy efficiency projects at public facilities. The free, no-obligation energy audits, provided by the Bank, OER and National Grid, will help identify energy savings improvements for municipalities, quasi-state entities and public schools.

The Efficient Buildings Fund is a low-cost loan program offered by the Bank and OER. It funds cash-flow positive energy projects in which energy savings from the investment exceeds the repayments for the loan. Efficient Building Fund applications are due October 18th and can be found at http://www.energy.ri.gov/RIEBF/.
Come test drive an electric vehicle at 2nd Annual Ride & Drive at Roger Williams Park
Have you been thinking about upgrading to an electric car or plug-in hybrid, but have some questions?

Come take a test drive and talk to EV ambassadors about their ownership experience.

The 2nd Annual Ride & Drive will take place on Sunday, September 22, from 1-4 p.m. at the Roger Williams Park Boathouse, 1000 Elmwood Ave in Providence.

This event is hosted by the Green Energy Consumers Alliance in partnership with the Rhode Island Office of Energy Resources, Ocean State Clean Cities, National Grid and the Department of Environmental Management.

Attendees are encouraged to pre-register.
Free online software helps municipalities become more energy efficient
If you want to help your community become greener and lower its energy use, we have exciting news.

Community Action Planning for Energy Efficiency (CAPEE) is an online tool that helps communities set energy reduction goals and identify ways to increase their energy efficiency. It is now available for free to Rhode Island municipalities and residents.

CAPEE is designed with busy municipal staff in mind to be a quick, user-friendly process that provides a concrete action plan tailored to their specific energy needs. CAPEE also provides access to a library of resources and a support team to answer questions and provide additional guidance as needed.

The Northeast Energy Efficiency Partnerships (NEEP), in partnership with the RI Office of Energy Resources, is making this tool available as part of the Achieving Community Efficiency initiative.

We encourage city and town officials, as well as residents, to check out the website and answer the brief series of questions to help them get started on a custom energy-saving action plan for their community.
Solar homes and businesses needed for National Solar Tour
If you or someone you know is a solar owner, the National Solar Tour team is looking for willing hosts to open their homes or businesses for public tours on October 5 and 6.

This is a great opportunity to share your love of solar and all the benefits you've enjoyed, while helping others make a more informed choice about adopting renewable energy.

Solar tours are held all over the country, but this grassroots organization is still looking for hosts in Rhode Island.

Learn more about the National Solar Tour on https://www.nationalsolartour.org and sign up your home or business today!
Clean Energy Internship Program ends successful first season
This summer, the Rhode Island Office of Energy Resources and the Commerce Corporation placed seven interns with six companies via the Clean Energy Internship Program. Funded by the Renewable Energy Fund, this program provided these young professionals with the opportunity to work with a clean energy company to gain experience in their fields. 

One of those interns is Luke Phaneuf, who joined EcoMetric Consulting in Providence. EcoMetric provides energy conservation and efficiency consulting for utilities and government agencies. Specifically, the company designs, implements and evaluates these conservation measures to help its clients save money and reduce energy usage.

Click the "read more" button below to view the full story.
UPCOMING EVENTS & MEETINGS
September 22
1:00-4:00 p.m.
Roger Williams Park Boathouse
1000 Elmwood Ave, Providence, RI
September 23
4:00-5:00 p.m.
Distributed Generation Board Meeting
Department of Administration, One Capitol Hill, 2nd Floor, Conference Room 2B, Providence, RI
September 26
8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Rhode Island Convention Center, 1 Sabin Street, Providence, RI
September 28
11:00 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.
Hosted by Green Energy Consumers Alliance
Audubon Society of Rhode Island, 12 Sanderson Rd, Smithfield, RI
October 2
October 3
3:30-5:30 p.m.
Department of Administration, One Capitol Hill, 2nd Floor, Conference Room 2A, Providence, RI
October 7
Four Points by Sheraton Norwood, 1125 Boston Providence Turnpike, Norwood, MA
October 9
9:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
Warwick Public Library: Central Library, 600 Sandy Lane, Warwick, RI
October 9
5:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.
Stephen Olney Elementary School, 1378 Douglas Avenue, North Providence, RI
October 29
3:00-5:00 p.m.
Building Rhode Island's Workforce with Energy Efficiency Programs
Hosted by the RI Energy Efficiency & Resource Management Council
Iron Works Tavern, 697 Jefferson Blvd, Warwick, RI
RSVP to coopext@uri.edu
October 30
12:15-1:45 p.m.
November 21
3:30-5:30 p.m.
Department of Administration, One Capitol Hill, 2nd Floor, Conference Room 2A, Providence, RI
*Events are subject to change. Always check the event website for updated times, dates and location details before you attend.

Would you like to add your energy-related event to our calendar? Send the details and event URL to our editor at robert.beadle@energy.ri.gov .