Energy.gov

'' Note: The federal government has imposed and updated appliance efficiency standards through several legislative acts,* and now has standards in place or under development for 30 classes of products. In general, states which had set standards prior to federal action may enforce their own standards until the federal standards take effect. States that had not set standards prior to federal action must use the federal standards.

National Grid offers electric energy efficiency programs for large commercial and industrial customers.

National Grid offers a variety of energy efficiency incentives for residential customers. Incentives are provided for purchasing and implementing insulation upgrades, HVAC equipment, appliances, pool pumps, lighting fixtures and other measures. Certain measures are offered as a comprehensive package. Some rebates are given at the time of purchase while others require a mail-in application. The program web site above lists the specific requirements for the different rebates available.

National Grid’s Small/Mid-Sized Business Program is for business customers with an average demand of 200 kilowatts or less per month. The program aids qualifying business customers in installing energy efficient equipment. National Grid provides a free energy audit and report of recommended energy efficiency improvements. If the business customer chooses to make the recommended improvements using National Grid’s vendor and equipment, National Grid will pay 70% of the cost of the installation of energy efficient equipment.

National Grid’s Commercial Energy Efficiency Program provides support services and incentives to commercial customers who install energy efficient natural gas related measures. Prescriptive rebates are available for common energy efficiency measures installed after the completion of an energy audit, including: natural gas heating measures, programmable thermostats, boiler reset controls, steam trap replacements and kitchen equipment.

National Grid's EnergyWise programs encourage energy efficiency amongst its residential customers. Interested customers who heat with gas, oil, or propane should schedule a free home energy audit through National Grid’s Weatherization or EnergyWise programs. Once the recommended measures are completed and the installation is inspected, National Grid will provide a rebate of 75% up to $2000. Eligible weatherization measures include: insulation (attic, wall, basement, crawl space, rim joist, or pipe), ductwork leakage testing and sealing, air infiltration testing and sealing.

Rhode Island allows net metering for systems up to five megawatts (MW) in capacity that are designed to generate up to 100% of the electricity that a home or other facility uses. Systems that generate electricity using solar energy, wind energy, ocean-thermal energy, geothermal energy, small hydropower, biogas from anaerobic digestion, or fuel cells using any of these energy sources are eligible. All customers of electric distribution companies are eligible. The aggregate limit of net-metered systems in Rhode Island is 3% of peak load, and 2 MW is reserved for systems less than 50 kW.

Rhode Island allows cities and towns to exempt, by ordinance, renewable energy systems from property taxation. The term "renewable energy system" is not defined in the applicable statute (R.I. Gen. Laws § 44-3-21).

Rhode Island requires all entities that sell electricity in the state to disclose details regarding the fuel mix and emissions of their electric generation to end-use customers. This information must be provided to customers quarterly "in plain English." Electricity suppliers must also file a copy of their energy source disclosure labels with the Rhode Island Public Utilities Commission quarterly.

In November 2009, Rhode Island enacted legislation (S.B. 232) requiring that public building construction projects 5,000 square feet or larger and public building renovation projects 10,000 square feet or larger achieve the U.S.