Even without any support through state incentives, solar systems will pay for themselves in a little over a decade, after which they generate energy cost savings for decades. For most people though, that 10 year pay back period is just a little too long, and the upfront capital just a little too large to justify the investment. As a result, Rhode Island’s residential renewable energy industry has been anemic in the years since 2010 when the State’s renewable energy tax credit program was phased out.

Rhode Island solar installers have been forced to look for work in Connecticut and Massachusetts where strong renewable incentive programs have stayed in place. For the sake of the environment and our struggling economy, it’s time to rectify this situation. The good news is that there are already a couple of new programs in place that should help, and there a couple of renewable energy legislative initiatives that could become law this session.

First, what we have:

• Commerce RI (formerly the EDC) has grants available through its Renewable Energy Development Fund (REF). Installers apply for these grants, and they are handed out in three rounds. The first deadline is on April 7th, so if you’re interested in a solar array, find an installer today and let them know. (These are also available for commercial scale projects, so don’t be afraid to think big. Last year, the REF was underutilized)
• PACE: Last year the General Assembly enacted the Property Assessed Clean Energy financing program which makes it easier for individuals to finance renewable projects by amortizing and attaching them to a property’s tax assessment for up to 20 years. More info here. Basically, you get to pay for your system in installments rather than all at once. The only problem is that each municipality has to adopt the PACE program individually through resolution. It’s not too early to start asking your council members whether your town is on board.

Second, the potential:

• Rep. Deb Ruggiero and Sen. Josh Miller have both once again submitted bills to restore the Renewable Energy Tax Credit. This legislation would pay for 25% (up to $3500) of a given residential renewable system in tax credits. Past experience shows that the economic activity generated by this incentive generates more revenue for the State than it gives up through the credits, so everybody wins; solar installers, homeowners, the public at large, and the environment. Help get this legislation passed by sending a letter to your legislators today.
• Representative Ruggiero will also be introducing legislation that would expand and make permanent the State’s immensely successful Distributed Generation pilot program. This program has been used mainly for commercial scale projects like the one in East Providence, but if it’s expanded the opportunity to use it for residential scale projects will arise. You can help support this legislation, too.

All together these programs would make Rhode Island a national leader in supporting renewable energy. They would be a boon to our still struggling building trades, a major benefit to the homeowners smart enough to invest in solar, and a way to reduce our carbon emissions and reliance on dirty foreign fossil fuels. What are we waiting for?!

Note:  the rally on Thursday is called off. President Biden is tending to his son Beau, and will not make it to RI. Send your thoughts his way.

In the middle of August it can be hard to recall February, but it wasn’t all that long ago that busloads of Rhode Islanders headed down to be part of the historic “Forward On Climate” rally that drew between 35-50,000 people to Washington, DC to demand President Obama stop Transcanada’s Keystone XL Pipeline. Since that joyous frigid day, environmental activists have relentlessly dogged the steps of the President and Vice President wherever they have traveled, conducting rallies to drive home the point, Say No To The Pipeline!

For its part, the Administration continues to play the decision on the project close to its vest. President Obama said in his June Climate speech that he would only approve Keystone “if this project doesn’t significantly exacerbate the problem of carbon pollution.” Obama clearly wants to leave a strong environmental legacy and his credibility hinges on this decision. Meanwhile, Biden told a Sierra Club volunteer that he agreed with those who oppose the pipeline. These are encouraging signs, especially because a very strong case will be made that the Keystone XL would lead to massive increases in carbon pollution.

On the other hand, Obama already approved the southern leg of the pipeline. More importantly, there is a lot of money on the other side of  the issue, including that of the profiteering Koch brothers whose Texas refineries would be processing the toxic tar sands oil coming out of Canada to sell on the global oil market.

It is unclear which side is winning. Millions of people have spoken out against the pipeline, but they might all be drowned out by the billions of the fossil fuel industry. President Obama has postponed the decision on the pipeline multiple times, and it looks like it may well get pushed into 2014. Our best hope is in keeping the pressure on. While unfortunately we will not be able to give Vice President Biden the #noKXL message in person as we had planned for, you can still take action here: http://www.sierraclub.org/dirtyfuels/tar-sands/virtual-chain/.