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Last Updated December 8, 2021

Program Overview

Category:

Regulatory Policy

State:

Rhode Island

Incentive Type:

Appliance/Equipment Efficiency Standards

Administrator:

N/A

Start Date:

N/A

Expiration Date:

N/A

Web Site:

N/A

Applicable Sectors:

N/A

Eligible Renewable/Other Technologies:

N/A

Summary

NOTE: The federal government has imposed and updated appliance efficiency standards through several legislative acts,* and now has standards in place or under development for 30 classes of products. In general, states which had set standards prior to federal action may enforce their own standards until the federal standards take effect. States that had not set standards prior to federal action must use the federal standards. This summary addresses (1) state appliance standards that will be in place until the federal standards take effect and (2) products for which the federal government is not currently developing an efficiency standard. Much of the information in this summary comes from the Appliance Standards Awareness Project (ASAP). Visit the ASAP web site and the U.S. Department of Energy's Appliance and Equipment Standards site for comprehensive information about appliance standards.
 
Rhode Island’s Energy and Consumer Savings Act of 2005 established minimum energy efficiency standards for twelve commercial and residential products, nine of which were immediately preempted by federal law later that year, and another of which was preempted later. Rhode Island has adopted and enforces standards for bottle-type water dispensers, mercury vapor lamp ballasts and commercial hot-food holding cabinets.

On July 1, 2021, the Rhode Island General Assembly passed SB339, codifying new water and energy efficiency standards effective immediately at passage. Products with new or updated energy standards, without federal preemption are listed below:

  • Commercial Fryers
  • Commercial hot-food holding cabinets
  • Commercial steam cookers
  • Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment
  • Gas fire places
  • Water coolers

These provisions do not apply to: new products manufactured in the state and sold outside the state; new products manufactured outside the state and sold at wholesale inside the state for final retail sale and installation outside the state; products installed in mobile manufactured homes at the time of construction; or products designed expressly for installation and use in recreational vehicles.


* These acts include the National Appliance Energy Conservation Act of 1987, the Energy Policy Act of 1992, the Energy Policy Act of 2005, and the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007.