Gov. Gina M. Raimondo says Rhode Island will pursue a competitive request for proposals (RFP) to procure up to 600 MW of new offshore wind energy.
The state is home to North America’s first operational offshore wind farm – Block Island – and, in 2019, received a critical state approval for the 400 MW Revolution Wind offshore project. This latest effort is in line with Raimondo’s Executive Order 20-01, which placed Rhode Island on a path toward meeting 100% of its electricity demand with renewable energy resources by 2030.
“In the face of global climate change, Rhode Island must drive toward a cleaner, more affordable and reliable clean energy future,” says Raimondo. “It is critical that we accelerate our adoption of carbon-free resources to power our homes and businesses while creating clean energy jobs. In January, I set a goal for Rhode Island to meet 100% of its electricity demand with renewables by 2030. Offshore wind will help us achieve that bold, but achievable goal, while creating jobs and cementing our status as a major hub in the nation’s burgeoning offshore wind industry.”
The competitive RFP will be developed by National Grid, with oversight by the state Office of Energy Resources, and is subject to approval by the Public Utilities Commission. As of the second quarter, Rhode Island counted 933 MW of renewable energy in its portfolio, representing a nine-fold increase since 2016.
This call for additional offshore wind resources is the latest in a series of actions that is increasing the state’s renewable energy capacity. In March 2017, Raimondo set an ambitious goal to accelerate Rhode Island’s adoption of green energy and make the state’s energy system 10 times cleaner by the end of the year. Today, the state is more than 90% of the way toward meeting that goal.
Executive Order 20-01 directs the state’s Office of Energy Resources to conduct an economic and energy market analysis and develop actionable policies and programs to reach this goal. Rhode Island is also home to cost-effective energy efficiency programs and recently released a comprehensive report on heating sector transformation in support of a decarbonized energy future.
To read more about how Rhode Island is addressing climate change mitigation and resiliency, click here.
