Official State of Rhode Island website

State of Rhode Island Office of Energy Resources

Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative

Map of states (new england and mid atlantic) that are part of the rggi

The Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) is the nation’s first mandatory, market-based cap and invest program designed to reduce emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2), the principal greenhouse gas that contributes to climate change. As a participating state, Rhode Island receives CO2 allowance proceeds, which are invested in a variety of consumer benefit programs, including energy efficiency, renewable energy, direct energy bill assistance and other greenhouse gas reduction programs.

Overview

RGGI is a cooperative effort among Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Virginia that began in 2009.The program establishes a regional cap on CO2 emissions from power plants and requires them to possess a tradable CO2 allowance for each ton of CO2 they emit. Under RGGI, CO2 allowances are distributed through quarterly allowance auctions.

States invest the proceeds from the RGGI CO2 allowance auctions in a variety of consumer benefit programs, including energy efficiency, renewable energy, direct energy bill assistance and other greenhouse gas reduction programs. Each RGGI participating state directs its own strategy for the investment of CO2 allowance auction proceeds. The allowable use of auction proceeds in Rhode Island is governed by §23-82-6 of the Rhode Island General Laws. Rhode Island primarily invests CO2 allowance proceeds in energy efficiency and conservation, and renewable energy technologies.

What is RGGI Inc.?

Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation created to support development and implementation of RGGI. The Board of Directors of RGGI, Inc. is composed of agency heads of energy and environmental regulatory agencies in each RGGI state, and decisions are made by this board. In Rhode Island, the Department of Environmental Management Director and the Office of Energy Resources Acting Commissioner are on the RGGI Inc. Board. Click here for more information on RGGI.

For more information on RGGI, please contact energy.resources@energy.ri.gov.

2024-D RGGI Plan Documents

2024-C RGGI Plan Documents

2024-B RGGI Plan Documents

2024-A RGGI Plan Documents

2023-B RGGI Plan Documents

2023-A RGGI Plan Documents

2022-D RGGI Plan Documents

2022-C RGGI Plan Documents

2022-B RGGI Plan Documents

2022-A RGGI Plan Documents

2021-B RGGI Plan Documents

2021-A RGGI Plan Documents

2020-B RGGI Plan Documents

2020-A RGGI Plan Documents

Cancelled - 2020-A Public Hearing, Thursday March 19, 2020 at 9:00 a.m. Powers Building, One Capitol Hill, Providence RI.
Public Hearing to be rescheduled.

REVISED 2020-A Notice of Public Comment and Hearing, Rescheduled as a Teleconference - March 26, 2020 @1:00PM.

2019-B RGGI Plan Documents

2019-A RGGI Plan Documents

2018-B RGGI Plan Documents

2018-A RGGI Plan Documents

2017-B RGGI Plan Documents

2017-A RGGI Plan Documents

2016-B RGGI Plan Documents

2016-A RGGI Plan Documents

2015 RGGI Plan Documents

2014 RGGI Plan Documents

Letters of Support

2013 RGGI Plan Documents

2012 RGGI Plan Documents

RGGI Rules and Regulations

2013 – 2015 RI RGGI Proceeds Reports Summary