On June 26, Governor Daniel McKee signed the 2024 Energy Storage Systems Act into law, a landmark moment in Rhode Island’s journey to a 100% clean energy future. Led by State Senator Dawn Euer and State Representative Arthur Handy, the Act puts Rhode Island’s energy system in a strengthened position.
“Energy storage is flexible, reliable, affordable, and will be a game changer for Rhode Island’s power grid,” said Rhode Island State Lead Kat Burnham of national business association Advanced Energy United. “Investing in energy storage technologies will drive economic development and job creation in the clean energy sector.”
In Rhode Island and across New England, the electricity system is undergoing a transition to clean energy. Flexible resources such as storage will be essential to deploy more renewable energy and meet future reliability needs. Energy storage is a mature technology that can reduce strain on the electric grid and create opportunities for ratepayer savings.
Key features of the Energy Storage Systems Act:
- Storage Targets: Rhode Island sets goals of 90 megawatts of energy storage by 2026, 195 megawatts by 2028, and 600 megawatts by 2033.
- Infrastructure Programs: The Rhode Island Infrastructure Bank will develop programs to facilitate energy storage adoption across all sectors.
- Storage Procurements: Enables the Rhode Island Public Utility Commission to require distribution companies to procure cost-effective storage systems.
By signing the Energy Storage Systems Act (Senate Bill 2499 and House Bill 7811), policymakers are delivering on their commitments to grow Rhode Island’s clean economy and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
