“As governor of a coastal state and mom to two teenagers, I’m fully committed to protecting the beauty of our state and our way of life for future generations,” said Rhode Island Governor Gina Raimondo.

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Rhode Island Governor Gina Raimondo signed an executive order on Friday committing Rhode Island to be powered by 100 percent renewable electricity by the end of the decade. Her executive order directs the state’s Office of Energy Resources (OER) to conduct an economic and energy market analysis and develop actionable policies and programs.

OER’s final report is due by December 31, 2020.

“When we meet this goal, Rhode Island will be the first state in America to be powered by 100 percent renewable electricity,” said Governor Raimondo to a roomful of business, labor and environmental leaders, lobbyists and activists. “We’re already leading the fight against climate change, but we have to take increasingly aggressive action if we want to avoid catastrophe. As governor of a coastal state and mom to two teenagers, I’m fully committed to protecting the beauty of our state and our way of life for future generations.”

Over the coming months, OER plans to conduct energy and economic analysis as it works to develop policy and programmatic solutions to achieve the Governor’s goal and advance the state’s economic, energy, and environmental interests. The Raimondo Administration says that stakeholder participation will be a key component of this work to help inform realistic pathways that work for Rhode Islanders, while driving the state toward a lower-carbon electric supply.

“Thanks to the leadership of Governor Raimondo and the General Assembly, Rhode Island has benefited from a suite of clean energy policies and programs that are attracting investment and growing jobs, while reducing our carbon footprint,” said Acting State Energy Commissioner Nicholas Ucci. “Because of this work, we are already on track to meet more than one-third of our electricity demand with renewables within a few years. I am confident that, working together, our state can build upon these successes and further accelerate renewable energy adoption while balancing energy affordability, reliability, and the very real need to mitigate harmful greenhouse gas emissions.”

Also speaking at the signing ceremony were Kristin Urbach, Executive Director of the North Kingstown Chamber of Commerce, and Jeremy McDiarmid, Vice President of NECEC (Northeast Clean Energy Council):

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