Rhode Island

Through DOE’s Energy Technology Innovation Partnership Project (ETIPP), Berkeley Lab researchers are directly supporting Block Island, Rhode Island, in planning for their energy future. To provide technical assistance to the Block Island Utility District, the Berkeley Lab team modeled electricity demand on the island through 2040, assessed viable on-island resources, and evaluated scenarios to improve reliability and affordability for a community of roughly 1,200 year-round residents and summer population of 15,000-20,000. The team found that on-island resources could be leveraged to meet up to 45% of annual electricity needs, with the balance supplied by off-island power purchase agreements.