Rhode Island’s Renewable Energy Growth Program

Rhode Island Energy will host a RE Growth Developers' Conference on Thursday, April 17th, 2025 at 2PM to discuss the extensive changes to the RE Growth Program from Docket No. 24-50-REG. The link to register for the RE Growth Developers’ Conference is posted here. The PowerPoint will be posted here after the conference concludes.

In Program Year 2025, Large-Scale Solar projects will only be able to bid into the Third Open Enrollment. The Rhode Island Public Utilities Commission (RI PUC) approved two variations of the Megawatt Allocation Plan, Plan A and Plan B, which differ only in the total megawatts that Rhode Island Energy can award to Large-Scale Solar projects.

The Plan A Megawatt Allocation Plan will be used unless there is an ASO #3 Transmission Attrition Study that is not complete and valid forty-five (45) days prior to the anticipated opening of the Third Open Enrollment, or unless the Company determines that the ASO#3 applications will be unable to bid due to events for which the Company is not at fault. If either of these conditions are met, the Plan B Megawatt Allocation Plan will be used. Both the Plan A and Plan B Megawatt Allocation Plans can be found on our “Enrollment Calendar and Submission” page under the “Non-Small-Scale Solar Projects” tab.

In addition, a new Brownfield Remediation Incentive will be available for Large-Scale Solar I and II projects. The Brownfield Remediation Incentive rules are still under review by the RI PUC. Updated tariffs and rules will be uploaded, and an email sent out to the distribution list, once a RI PUC decision has been made.

Beginning on May 1, 2024, all renewable distributed generation projects will need to comply with the new “core forest” requirements resulting from changes in the solar siting law, Chapter 300. For renewable energy facilities with a nameplate capacity of 25kW or less and/or installed entirely on a rooftop of an existing structure, which enroll in either RE Growth or Net Metering, a new Self-Certification for Core Forest Determination form must be completed and submitted to Rhode Island Energy as part of the interconnection application. This form is available on the Department of Environmental Management (DEM)’s website. For renewable energy facilities greater than 25kW and not entirely on a rooftop of an existing structure, which enroll in either RE Growth or Net Metering, a Full Core Forest Determination by DEM is required. Developers of renewable energy facilities are required to submit a siting document to DEM via the online form available at https://dem.ri.gov/coreforest.

2025 Small-Scale Solar RE Growth Program One-Pager Final
2025 Non-Small-Scale Solar RE Growth Program One-Pager Final

Small-Scale Solar Projects

Applicants may enroll via an interconnection application. The currently available capacity for RE Growth Small-Scale Solar can be found at the following webpage: https://portalconnect.rienergy.com/RI/s/article/Residential-Renewable-Energy-Growth-program-available-cap.

Solar (Greater than 25 kW), Wind, Hydroelectric, and Anaerobic Digester Project.

Applications must be submitted during one of the two-week Open Enrollments. Applicants are required to apply for the Program using the RE Growth Open Enrollment Application, which must be filled out and emailed to regnonsmallsolar@pplweb.com. Alternatively, the bidder may request a secure link to submit their application. In addition, certain documentation must be uploaded to SalesForce or mailed in paper form. Please see the “Enrollment Calendar and Submission” page under the “Non-Small-Scale Solar Projects” tab for more information.

Effective April 1, 2025:

RE Growth Program Tariffs

• Renewable Energy Growth Program Tariff for Residential Customers, RIPUC No. 2151-L (pdf)
• Renewable Energy Growth Program Tariff for Non-Residential Customers, RIPUC No. 2152-L (pdf)

RE Growth Program Solicitation and Enrollment Process Rules

• PY25 RI RE Growth Program Solicitation and Enrollment Process Rules for Small-Scale Solar Projects (pdf)
• PY25 RI RE Growth Program Solicitation and Enrollment Process Rules for Solar (Greater than 25kW), Wind, Hydro and Anaerobic Digester Projects (pdf)

 

If your project has been granted a Conditional Certificate of Eligibility, and you would like to terminate your Conditional Certificate of Eligibility early in alignment with the Tariffs and Rules, please see the below termination request standard form. If you have any questions, comments, or concerns, please reach out to your CEI job owner.

• PY25 RE Growth Termination Request Form (pdf)