Rhode Island Solar Panels

The REF Small-Scale Solar Program offers a grant of $1.65 per watt, up to $14,500 per project. The grant may reduce the project cost substantially, but the actual share of installation cost depends on the system and project price. Funding is limited and applications are accepted in rounds; the October 2026 program schedule lists an upcoming small-scale round on October 16, subject to funding availability.

Eligible applicants include Rhode Island homeowners and microbusinesses installing qualifying, directly owned, net-metered solar. The installer applies for the customer, and the grant is credited through the project contract or payment process. The current program materials specify a solar-access score of at least 80%. REF solar grants cannot be combined with the Renewable Energy Growth (REG) tariff for the same project; confirm current requirements and remaining funds before signing a contract.

The REF Commercial-Scale Solar Program provides grants using declining size-based rates: $0.70 per watt for the first 50 kW, $0.40 per watt for the next 50 kW, $0.30 per watt for the next 50 kW, and $0.20 per watt above that. The standard solar grant is capped at $75,000 per application and $150,000 per installer per round. Qualifying solar carports may receive $0.55 per watt, up to $200,000.

This program is intended for businesses, nonprofits, academic institutions, and municipal or state facilities, rather than ordinary residential rooftop projects. Some nonprofit projects may qualify with direct ownership or a third-party lease or power-purchase agreement. Grants are round-based and funding can run out; the posted October 2026 commercial round is October 23, subject to current program materials and available funds.

REG pays participating solar owners a fixed amount for electricity generated over a long-term tariff. For the 2026 small-scale solar program year, Rhode Island Energy lists 31.55 cents per kWh for systems over 0 through 15 kW DC with a 15-year term, and 28.65 cents per kWh for systems over 15 through 25 kW DC with a 20-year term. The program-year target is 3 MW DC, and enrollment is subject to capacity and the current tariff.

Homeowners and small commercial customers with Rhode Island Energy service may apply for qualifying projects up to 25 kW. RI Energy describes bill credits up to the amount owed and direct payment for excess generation. REG and REF solar grants cannot be combined for the same project, so compare the REG tariff with the REF-plus-net-metering option before choosing; confirm current rates and enrollment availability with the utility.

For a typical homeowner, net metering credits eligible solar production against electricity use under the applicable Rhode Island Energy tariff. System sizing is generally considered against the site’s historical usage, and the value of excess generation can differ from the value of electricity that offsets consumption; for certain systems, excess credits are tied to the ISO New England wholesale energy clearing price. The exact credit depends on system type, size, application and interconnection dates, and current law.

Virtual net metering allows eligible projects to allocate credits to other qualifying accounts, but it is not a general residential option. The 2026 law also established an optional $0.19-per-kWh, 25-year fixed-credit election for specified project classes, with a 2.75% annual escalation beginning in 2028; it is not a general homeowner tariff and implementation requires an approved utility tariff. Net metering and REG are generally alternatives, and the choice can be binding, so review the current utility tariff and project eligibility before proceeding.

The Brownfields Solar PV Program supports solar projects developed on eligible Rhode Island brownfield sites. The program does not publish one universal per-watt award for all projects; the amount and conditions depend on the applicable funding opportunity and project review.

Applications are described as rolling and first-come, first-served while funding is available. This is a site- and project-specific program, not a standard rebate for a homeowner installing panels on an ordinary residential property. Owners or developers should confirm that the site and project qualify and that funds remain available with the state before including a grant in project economics.

For a small-scale solar project that is awarded an REF grant, the program offers a $5,000 storage adder for a qualifying paired battery. For eligible commercial projects, the storage adder is $0.50 per watt based on the storage system’s maximum continuous output over three hours, up to $40,000 per project. These grants can lower the combined solar-and-battery project cost but are available only with qualifying REF-funded renewable projects.

The battery must be co-located and electrically integrated with the new REF-funded project and meet technical requirements. The project generally must enroll in Rhode Island Energy’s ConnectedSolutions program or document an approved opt-out. The REF storage adder cannot be claimed for the same battery equipment as the OER Energy Storage Rebate, so compare both options and verify the current REF application requirements.

The OER Energy Storage Rebate supports new, behind-the-meter, grid-connected batteries. Tier 1 systems up to 25 kW AC may receive $250 per kWh, up to $8,000; eligible income-qualified Tier 1 applicants may receive $500 per kWh, up to $16,000. Tier 2 systems over 25 kW and up to 250 kW AC may receive $175 per kWh of AC nameplate capacity, up to $45,500. The program lists $2 million in total funding, but that allocation does not guarantee funds remain available.

Applicants must own the property, have an active account with a qualifying Rhode Island electric utility, and install a new permitted and inspected battery using a Rhode Island-licensed electrician. Used, refurbished and off-grid systems are excluded. Income-qualified Tier 1 applicants must provide current proof of participation in an accepted assistance program; qualifying equipment and demand-response requirements also apply. Reserve funds before installation, and note that the same battery equipment cannot receive both the ESR rebate and the REF storage adder.

Rhode Island Energy’s ConnectedSolutions program pays participating residential battery owners $225 per average kW performed during summer demand-response events. The utility lists a maximum payment of $6,875 per customer per year and a five-summer rate lock for eligible enrollees. Payments depend on the battery’s performance during called events, so actual earnings vary.

Customers need Rhode Island Energy service and a qualifying battery enrolled through an approved program pathway. Events take place during summer peak periods, and participants may be able to opt out of individual events under program rules. Standalone batteries may participate, but limits on grid export can reduce their potential earnings. Pascoag Utility District and Block Island Power Company customers are not eligible for this Rhode Island Energy program.

Rhode Island Energy lists a ConnectedSolutions commercial and industrial pathway with payments of $275 per kW per summer for eligible new participants. Compensation is tied to battery dispatch performance and the applicable customer pathway; the program is not a household rebate.

Eligibility, dispatch arrangements and enrollment depend on the business’s utility account, rate class, battery and program terms. Businesses should confirm the current payment rules and enrollment availability with Rhode Island Energy or an approved program provider before relying on expected annual revenue.

Rhode Island Energy offers a 0% financing pathway for qualifying battery equipment and installation costs for eligible customers on the A-60 low-income electric rate. This is a loan, not a cash rebate, so it must be repaid under the lender and program terms. OER states that eligible customers may combine this financing with the Energy Storage Rebate.

Eligibility, loan limits, repayment terms and lender availability may apply. Homeowners should confirm that the proposed battery and installation qualify and verify current terms with the program administrator before signing a contract or relying on the financing in their budget.

Rhode Island’s sales-tax law exempts specified renewable-energy products, including solar PV modules or panels, qualifying grid-connected DC-to-AC inverters, solar thermal collectors, and manufactured mounting racks and ballast pans. The exemption can reduce the purchase cost of listed equipment, but it does not automatically exempt every labor, installation or project cost.

The statute’s listed products do not expressly include standalone battery storage, so homeowners should not assume a battery qualifies under this exemption. Confirm the treatment of specific equipment and the transaction with the seller or Rhode Island tax authorities before purchase.

Rhode Island’s solar guidance identifies a property-tax exemption for residential photovoltaic systems. Where applicable, this can prevent qualifying solar equipment from increasing the property-tax assessment; it is not a cash payment or installation rebate.

Application and treatment depend on state rules and local assessment practice, so homeowners should contact their municipal assessor to confirm whether the exemption applies to their property, what documentation is required, and how the system will be assessed. Do not assume that every municipality applies the exemption in the same way.

C-PACE is financing rather than a rebate. Eligible commercial property owners may use it to finance qualifying solar improvements and repay the cost through a voluntary property-tax assessment, with terms potentially extending up to the weighted useful life of the improvements and no longer than 25 years.

The property must be in a municipality that has opted into C-PACE, and financing terms depend on the capital provider and project. This program is for qualifying commercial properties, not residential homeowners; commercial applicants should confirm municipal participation and project eligibility before proceeding.