Senate
passes Sosnowski legislation creating renewable energy task force in Energy
Resources Office
STATE HOUSE – The Senate passed legislation introduced by Sen. V. Susan Sosnowski (D-Dist. 37, South Kingstown, New Shoreham) that would require the Office of Energy Resources to assemble a task force to promote the development of markets for alternative renewable home heating and transportation fuel, such as clean burning biodiesel fuels. The measure, which now heads to the House of Representatives, passed the Senate 35 to 0.
The legislation (2015
S-0410) would also assemble a task force to develop an energy efficiency
program for home heating oil and propane. The reports of these task forces
would be due Jan. 31, 2016. The alternative renewable fuel task force would
have up to $50,000 from the Renewable Energy Fund to hire consultants.
“This is good for the environment,” said Senator Sosnowski. “Clean burning biofuels reduce greenhouse gas emissions. It will also increase our energy security, because biofuels are a domestically produced sustainable fuel source. And it’s good for the economy because producing biofuels creates jobs.”
The energy efficiency task force would be
provided with up to $75,000 from the energy efficiency fund to hire
consultants.
“Efficiency programs in Rhode Island have a
proven track record for reducing energy costs,” said Senator Sosnowski. “Rhode
Island leads the nation in electricity efficiency, yet we don’t have an
efficiency program for home heating fuels, despite the fact that about 42
percent of Rhode Island homes heat with oil.”
The national ranking for Energy Efficiency
Policies by the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy placed Rhode
Island third in the nation for energy efficiency. Since 2008, $558 million
invested in electric efficiency has resulted in $1.99 billion in consumer
benefits, 25,000 job-years of employment created, and $2.35 billion added to
the Rhode Island gross state product.