Business Leaders Call for Rhode Island to Continue Leadership on Clean Energy

Office of Energy Resources Commissioner Carol Grant and Division of Public Utilities and Carriers Administrator Macky McCleary Honored as 2018 Clean Energy Champions

As part of the Northeast Clean Energy Council’s (NECEC) Rhode Island Clean Energy Day, clean energy business leaders visited the Rhode Island State House today to advocate for policies that drive energy efficiency, residential solar, and the sustainable siting of renewable energy.

“Rhode Island is a national leader on energy efficiency and clean energy,” said NECEC President Peter Rothstein. “Protecting critical funding for efficiency programs, as well as adjusting the Renewable Energy Growth program to include additional capacity for the increasingly popular residential solar sector will ensure the Ocean States remains a leader and reaps the economic and jobs benefits that come with a vibrant clean energy industry."

NECEC’s legislative agenda is detailed in its 2018 Rhode Island Clean Energy Priorities, which outlines key legislation needed to advance clean energy in the Ocean State. NECEC’s top priority is protecting energy efficiency programs from damaging caps to essential funding and costly efficiency program reviews proposed in a number of bills this session. If passed, these developments would put at risk the 9,000 jobs in energy efficiency in the state, the largest portion of Rhode Island’s clean energy workforce.

During Rhode Island Clean Energy Day, NECEC recognized Carol Grant, Commissioner of the Rhode Island Office of Energy Resources, and Macky McCLeary, Administrator of the Rhode Island Division of Public Utilities and Carriers, as its 2018 Clean Energy Champions. Commissioner Grant and Administrator McCleary have played integral roles in developing Rhode Island’s Power Sector Transformation Initiative, which recently published a groundbreaking report that included numerous recommendations to advance the modernization of Rhode Island’s electricity system by controlling costs, giving customers more energy choices and information, and building a more flexible grid to integrate clean energy generation.

About NECEC

NECEC (Northeast Clean Energy Council & NECEC Institute) is the premier voice of businesses building a world-class clean energy hub in the Northeast, helping clean energy companies start, scale and succeed with our unique business, innovation and policy leadership. NECEC includes the Northeast Clean Energy Council (a nonprofit business member organization), and NECEC Institute (a nonprofit focused on industry research, innovation, policy development and communications initiatives). NECEC brings together business leaders and key stakeholders to engage in influential policy discussions and business initiatives while building connections that propel the clean energy industry forward.

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