Rhode Island

45% by 2030 | 80% by 2040 | net-zero by 2050

Relative to 1990 levels

2022 Update to the 2016 Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reduction Plan

The 1990-2022 Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventory was published in December 2024.

Executive Climate Change Coordinating Council (EC4)

Executive Climate Change Coordinating Council (EC4) Advisory Board and EC4 Science and Technical Advisory Board

"Environmental Justice Focus Areas" are census tracts where the median household income is less than 65% of statewide median income, at least 40% of the population are minorities, at least 25% of households lack English proficiency, or at least 25% of the population are minorities and the municipality's median household income does not exceed 150% of statewide median income.

RIDEM Environmental Justice Area Map

The Executive Climate Change Coordinating Council (EC4) must create an Environmental Justice Committee.

Rhode Island Infrastructure Bank

The Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) covers the electricity sector.

100% renewable energy by 2033

The Road to 100% Renewable Electricity by 2030 in Rhode Island

Rhode Island has an active community choice aggregation program.

90 megawatts (MW) of energy storage by 2026, 195 MW by 2028 and 600 MW by 2033

Rhode Island received a C grade from Freeing the Grid.

The statewide energy code for residential construction is 2018 IECC with amendments.

The statewide energy code for commercial building construction is 2018 IECC and ASHRAE 90.1-2016 with amendments.

The Rhode Island Stretch Codes are used on a voluntary basis for private and public building construction and renovation projects.

The Energy and Water Efficiency Standards apply to 15 products.

Electric utilities are required to achieve total energy savings equivalent to 1,397,644 lifetime megawatt-hours (MWh) in 2024, 1,401,610 lifetime MWh in 2025, and 1,413,953 lifetime MWh in 2026.

Gas utilities are required to achieve total energy savings equivalent to 7,058,839 lifetime million British thermal units (MMBtu) in 2024, 7,090,690 lifetime MMBtu in 2025, and 7,119,585 lifetime MMBtu in 2026.

Rhode Island has enacted commercial PACE-enabling legislation and has active programs.

Rhode Island LEV Program

Model Year (MY) 2027: 43% of new passenger vehicle sales are ZEVs | MY 2030: 68% of new sales are ZEVs | MY 2035: 100% of new sales are ZEVs, with up to 20% being hybrid or hydrogen-powered vehicles.

The DRIVE EV prroject offers rebates for new and used EVs: up to $1,500 for new battery and fuel cell electric vehicles, $1,000 for new plug-in hybrid vehicles, and between $750-1,000 for used EVs and plug-in hybrid vehicles. The DRIVE+ program offers an additional $1,500 rebate for low-income applicants.

The Low NOx Omnibus Rule applies to Model Year 2027 onwards.

By 2035: 55% of Class 2b-3 truck sales are zero-emissions | 75% of Class 4-8 straight truck sales are zero-emissions | 40% of Class 7-8 tractor sales are zero-emissions.

25% of the light-duty state fleet are ZEVs by 2030

Requires new public parking lots and existing parking lots undergoing a significant expansion to create designated EV parking spaces if they have 10+ total parking spaces, increasing the required number of EV spaces incrementally up to 200 spaces, with at least 6% of EV parking spaces for lots with over 200 total spaces.

The PowerUpRI program offers rebates between $350-700 or 50% (whichever is less) of the purchase and installation costs of a Level 2 EV charger, depending on whether an electric upgrade is needed. The program offers rebates between $500-1,000, or 75% (whichever is less) for income-qualified residents.

A Strategic Policy Guide for Improving Public Access to Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure in Rhode Island

The state prohibits certain HFCs in specific stationary refrigeration and air-conditioning end-uses.

Food waste ban – The state requires educational entities to recycle organic waste at authorized composting or anaerobic digestion facilities, provided they generate at least 30 tons of organic waste per year and are within 15 miles of an authorized recycling facility.