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State Incentives for Achieving Clean and Renewable
Energy Development on Contaminated Lands
The development of clean and renewable energy on formerly used land offers many economic and environmental benefits. Combining clean and renewable energy and
contaminated land cleanup incentives can allow investors and communities to create economically viable clean and renewable energy redevelopment projects. This
document provides information about incentives in your state that can be leveraged for clean and renewable energy and development of contaminated land.
Incentives for Clean and Renewable Energy
Funding (grants, loans, bonds, etc.)
Municipal Renewable Energy Investment Program
www.riedc.com/files/public-notice-summary-and-proposed-rules-
renewable-energy-development-fund.pdf
Offers grants of up to $500,000 per project for municipal renewable-energy
projects (starting January 1,2009). Legislation (H.B. 7806) enacted in July
2008 authorized the Rhode Island Economic Development Corporation to
integrate and coordinate state's renewable-energy policies. The program
utilizes the lesser of 50% or $1 million collected annually from the 0.3 mils
per kWh surcharge for renewable-energy programs.
Renewable Energy Fund (REF): Photovoltaic Solar Opportunity
www.energy.ri.gov/programs/renewable.php
Provides partial grants of up to $3 per watt for commercial projects and
$3.50 per watt for non-profit organizations, for the installation of solar PV
systems of up to 25 kW on commercial, industrial, and institutional
buildings.
Tax Incentives (abatements, deductions, credits, etc.)
Sales Tax Exemption for Renewable Energy
www.energy.ri.gov/programs/renewable.php
Provides an exemption from the state's sales and use taxes for certain
renewable energy systems and equipment, including solar electric
systems, geothermal heat pumps, and wind turbines and towers.
Property Tax Exemption for Renewable Energy Systems -
Local Option
www.rilin.state.ri.us/Statutes/TITLE44/44-3/44-3-21.HTM
Allows cities and towns to exempt renewable-energy systems from
property taxation. Includes: solar water heat, solar space heat, PV, wind,
biomass, and small hydroelectric.
Technical Assistance and Other Incentives
Renewable Energy Certificate Incentive
www.massenergy.com/Solar.REC.Sale.html
Mass Energy and People's Power & Light purchases renewable energy
certificates (also known as green tags) at a rate of $30 per MWh (or $0.03
per kWh) from photovoltaic (PV) systems in Rhode Island for three years.
RIWINDS, Rl Wind Alliance, Rl Wind Mapper
www.energy.ri.gov/programs/renewable.php
In 2006, Rhode Island established the RIWINDS program to promote the
development of wind energy in the state. The goal is to obtain 20% of the
state's energy from renewable resources by 2011. See the RIWINDS Wind
Energy Siting Study at:
www.energy.ri.gov/documents/independence1/RIWINDSReport.pdf.
Net Metering
www.energy.ri.gov/policy/index.php
Offers net metering to customers who use solar or wind resources. The
maximum individual system capacity is 3.5 MW for systems owned by
cities, towns or the Narragansett Bay Commission; 2.25 MW for systems
developed but not owned by cities and towns, sited on land owned by the
city or town, and providing power solely to the city or town; and 1.65 MW
for other customers.
Quick Facts
Public Benefit Fund (PBF)
Renewable Portfolio Standard
16% by 2020
Net Metering
Interconnection Standards
Yes 0 No D
Yes 0 No D
Yes 0 No D
YesD No0
Electric Power Industry Generation by
Primary Energy Source (EIA, 2006)
Petroleum-Fired 0.5% Nuclear
Natural Gas-Fired 96.9% Hydroelectric
Coal-Fired - Other Renewables
0.1%
2.5%
Points of Contact
Municipal Renewable Energy Investment Program, REF: Photovoltaic
Solar Opportunity
Jenn Paolino, jpaolino@riedc.com (401) 278-9126
Rhode Island Office of Energy Resources, www.energy.ri.gov
Sales Tax Exemption for Renewable Energy, Property Tax Exemption
for Renewable Energy Systems - Local Option, RIWINDS, Rl Wind
Alliance, Rl Wind Mapper,
Julie Capobianco, JulieC@energy.ri.gov, (401) 574-9111
Renewable Energy Certificate Incentive
Mass Energy and People's Power & Light, www.massenergy.com
Kelly Muellman, kelly@massenergy.com, (617) 524-3950
Net Metering
Public Utilities Commission
Luly Massaro, Commission Clerk, (401) 941-4500
Information current as of November 2008; please refer to www.dsireusa.org and the state Web sites
provided, or contact the points of contact identified above for more up to date information.
Rhode Island Incentives for Clean and Renewable Energy - Page '
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Incentives for Development of Contaminated Land
Funding (grants, loans, bonds, etc.)
Brownfields Cleanup Revolving Loan Fund (RLF)
www.riedc.com/riedc/business_services/12/60Madditional
Provides low-interest loans from $50,000 to $200,000, at below market
rates and a maximum loan term of five years, to remediate eligible
brownfield sites. Public, private, or non-profit entities are eligible. Grants
are also available for non-profit organizations or eligible public entities.
Technical Assistance and Other Incentives
Targeted Brownfields Assessment (TBA) Program
www.dem.ri.gov/brownHelds/financial/index.htmnargetted
Provides environmental assessments of brownfield properties for public or
non-profit organizations (that partner with a public entity) acting as
voluntary parties and that have redevelopment plans for a brownfield site.
Recipients will receive a Site Investigation report that will describe any
potential environmental contamination on the property and put forth
recommendations for the next phase of investigation, if necessary.
Applications are selected on a competitive basis.
Limitations on Liability
Department of Environmental Management - Covenant Not to
Sue
www.dem.ri.gov/brownfields/documents/
Provides liability protection (in the form of a covenant not to sue) to
property owners against contamination found on-site after cleanup and
redevelopment—unless the contamination occurs after cleanup—under the
Industrial Property Remediation and Reuse Program.
Quick Facts
Limitations on Liability Yes 0 No D
Number of State-Tracked Contaminated Properties: 1,660
Includes current and completed Voluntary Cleanup Sites
Number of EPA CERCLIS Sites: 154
Sites identified for potential investigation under the federal Superfund Program
Number of EPA Brownfields Properties: 304
Properties being funded or addressed under the EPA Brownfields Program
There may be some overlap among the categories listed and sites listed may not
represent all potentially contaminated sites in Rhode Island.
Information current as of November 2008; please refer to
www.epa.gov/brownfields/pubs/st_res_prog_report.htm and the state Web sites provided,
or contact the points of contact identified above for more up to date information.
Points of Contact
Rhode Island Economic Development Corporation (RIEDC)
www.riedc.com
Brownfields Cleanup RLF
William J. Parsons, wparsons@riedc.com, (401) 278-9100 Ext. 130
Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management
www.dem.ri.gov/brownfields
TBA Program
Cynthia Gianfrancesco, cynthia.gianfrancesco@dem.ri.gov,
(401) 222-2797 Ext. 7126
Covenant Not to Sue
Kelly Owens, Kelly.owens@dem.ri.gov, (401) 222-2797 Ext. 7108
Rhode Island Incentives for Development of Contaminated Land - Page 2
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