Officials launch Solarize programs in Tiverton, Little Compton

THE LAUNCH OF THE SOLARIZE PROGRAMS in Little Compton and Tiverton attracted a large audience. / COURTESY RHODE ISLAND COMMERCE CORPORATION
THE LAUNCH OF THE SOLARIZE PROGRAMS in Little Compton and Tiverton attracted a large audience. / COURTESY RHODE ISLAND COMMERCE CORPORATION

TIVERTON – Officials celebrated the launch of Solarize Tiverton and Solarize Little Compton on Thursday, the latest communities to join the Solarize Rhode Island program.
U.S. Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse and representatives from Gov. Gina M. Raimondo’s office joined the R.I. Commerce Corporation (Commerce RI), the R.I. Office of Energy Resources and nonprofit marketing firm SmartPower for the launch.

“Rhode Island has some of the highest energy costs in the country. Solarize Rhode Island’s energy efficiency programs help reduce residential and business costs now and in the future,” Raimondo said in a statement. “Together we can ‘make it’ in Rhode Island by investing in clean renewable energy and in turn, create jobs and economic opportunities.”
Solarize Rhode Island is a municipal-based program aimed at reducing the costs of installing small-scale solar energy.
The first round of Rhode Island’s pilot program in North Smithfield surpassed similar campaigns in other states, with 84 residential and small commercial solar systems contracted (equivalent to 623kW of power) in nine weeks. Solarize uses a competitively-selected installer in each town, as well as a tiered pricing system and time-limited offer to encourage greater participation, to reduce solar installation costs, Commerce RI said in a news release.
Said Whitehouse, “Installing solar creates jobs and reduces our dependence on the fossil fuels that drive climate change and harm public health. That’s a win-win for Rhode Island, and I applaud Commerce RI, OER and SmartPower on this program.”
Tiverton Town Administrator Matt Wojcik said the town is pleased to participate in Solarize, and he is grateful that state officials chose it as a pilot community.
“As a practical matter, everything we can do to alleviate the need for constructing additional energy transmission assets is a worthwhile step to stabilize the overall cost of living for our residents over the long term,” he said.
Sol Power, a Providence-based solar cooperative, has been selected by both towns as the solar installer.

Commerce RI and OER jointly administer the Solarize Rhode Island program and work with SmartPower to manage projects within the municipalities.
In August, the Commerce RI’s board of directors approved the use of $50,000 of funds controlled by the Office of Energy Resources to start the $250,000 Solarize program.

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