R.I. to receive $49M in EPA funds for solar panel expansion, access

A $49 million federal grant awarded Monday to Rhode Island’s Equitable Access to Solar Energy (EASE) program, headed by the Rhode Island Office of Energy Resources, will help make solar panels more accessible and affordable to a wider audience. (Getty image)

Rhode Island is set to receive nearly $50 million in federal funding to help low-income renters and homeowners pay for solar panels, Rhode Island’s congressional delegation announced on Monday.

Rhode Island’s Equitable Access to Solar Energy (EASE) program, headed by the Rhode Island Office of Energy Resources, is one of 60 projects nationwide to receive funding through the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Solar for All program. The $7 billion competitive grant program, funded through the Inflation Reduction Act, aims to create or expand residential solar programs for 900,000 households nationwide, according to the EPA. 

The $49.3 million award for the Rhode Island EASE program will fund a new “comprehensive suite” of financial and technical assistance programs to help thousands of Rhode Island homeowners and renters access affordable solar power, according to the release. The expanded solar access also aims to reduce household energy costs and help the state achieve its ambitious decarbonization mandates. 

“That monthly utility bill can really upset a family’s finances,” Sen. Jack Reed said in a statement. “Today’s announcement is another piece of good news from the Inflation Reduction Act for Rhode Island homeowners and renters. Plus it’s good news for our environment, and it will significantly cut the upfront cost of rooftop solar on homes and apartments across the state.” 

The funding includes direct assistance to eligible homeowners and renters for rooftop panels, along with funding for administrative support, workforce development, neighborhood engagement on community solar projects, translation services and technical assistance.

The news comes amid state lawmakers’ consideration of stricter regulations for residential solar panel sales companies, amid a rise in consumer complaints and allegations of fraud. One local company, Smart Green Solar LLC, is facing a lawsuit by the Rhode Island Office of the Attorney General alleging deceptive trade practices.

Rhode Island-based nonprofit lender Capital Good Fund separately received a $156 million award to help expand solar options for low-income communities in Georgia, one of 10 states where it operates as a licensed community development financial institution.

Other New England states awarded funds through the competitive program include $156.1 million to the Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources, $62.5 million apiece to the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection and Vermont Department of Public Service, $62.1 million to the Maine Governor’s Energy Office, and $43.5 million to the Executive Office of the State of New Hampshire.

Grants must be spent within five years, including up to one year for program planning, according to program rules.

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