Clean Heat Rhode Island Program Information
In 2021 Governor McKee signed the Act on Climate which mandates the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions in Rhode Island to net zero by 2050, as compared to 1990 levels. As shown in the Heating Sector Transformation (HST) Report, a third of Rhode Island’s emissions come from the thermal sector, and the most significant contributor to thermal sector emissions in Rhode Island is residential and commercial space heating.
Converting fossil fuel heating systems to highly efficient electric heating and cooling technologies is a first step to reduce emissions in the thermal sector. Clean Heat Rhode Island was designed to offer incentives to assist homeowners and small-to-mid-size business owners with the purchase and installation of high-efficiency electric heat pumps, with an emphasis on families in environmental justice communities, minority-owned businesses, and community organizations. The program also aims to help prepare the labor force for the transition to clean heating technologies and provide sustainable employment opportunities for the coming decades.
As a part of funds allocated to the State Fiscal Recovery Fund (SFRF) from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), the Rhode Island General Assembly has approved the use of $25 million dollars to operate the program. The program is administered by the Rhode Island Office of Energy Resources.
To view the Program Overview in Spanish or Portuguese, please click here.
