Rhode Island Energy Reform

Rhode Island is implementing sweeping energy reforms, including a natural gas efficiency fund. A new stakeholder council, the Energy Efficiency Resources Management Council (EERMC), is working with state officials and others to kick-off an energy planning and procurement process that should significantly increase investments in efficiency and other clean, cost-effective resources.

 

Background

State officials concerned about Rhode Island’s energy security invited ENE to share policy ideas and data analysis, and then later to help draft an energy planning and procurement policy for...
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Rhode Island Energy Reform

The EERMC is charged with overseeing the implementation of new laws passed in 2006, such as the mandate that the state purchase all cost-effective efficiency and demand-side resources before traditional supply. ENE is one of the appointees chosen to represent a wide range of consumer interests on the Council. The group meets monthly and has begun taking important steps to put new reforms into action assessing availability of demand-side resources and planning for long-term procurement.

 

Also, a PUC process took place earlier this year to set rules and funding levels for the natural gas efficiency fund. ENE and other members of the coalition are working to help the state follow through on these and other opportunities to improve its energy system.

 

The new measures Rhode Island is implementing are embodied in the precedent-setting energy legislation, the Comprehensive Energy Conservation, Efficiency and Affordability Act of 2006 . A broad coalition of advocates, officials and business representatives collaborated to draft and pass the law in just nine months, and it models many of the top priority reforms for reducing GHG emissions from the energy sector that are now being implemented region-wide.