Cranston, RI – The Rhode Island Center for Freedom & Prosperity advises state policymakers to immediately begin work to construct a new and realistic energy strategy that will put the interests of the people first.
In a mortal blow to Rhode Island’s “Act On Climate” legislation, which set mandates and milestones for achieving “net zero” carbon emissions by 2050, the US government last Friday ordered a suspension to further construction of the Revolution Wind offshore wind farm project.
Even RI Attorney General Peter Neronha admitted that the state’s existing energy strategy is “dead in the water” without Revolution Wind. It is becoming increasingly evident that the false narratives put forth decades ago by climate alarmists should no longer be the basis of sound state or federal public policy.
“Lawmakers and environmental officials must dispel themselves of the false promises of offshore wind and the entire green energy agenda,” commented Mike Stenhouse, CEO for the Center. “Instead of our current strategy which seeks to power our state with low- or zero-carbon sources of energy, an unachievable goal by the way … Rhode Island’s new and reformed strategy should prioritize meeting the future AI driven energy demands by seeking to secure affordable, abundant, and reliable sources.”
Governor McKee is 100% wrong in claiming that the costly Revolution Wind project is an “affordable” solution for energy, also stating that thousands of jobs are at risk.
According to the Center, the real risk was taken years ago when state policymakers adopted an extremist energy strategy that was based on unproven science and false data.
The Center specifically recommends that the recently convened special Senate Commission on Energy, whose original charter was to evaluate Rhode Island’s compliance with the “Act On Climate” should recognize the dire urgency created by the state’s misguided energy strategy and instead shift its focus to making recommendations to slow down or repeal various components of the Act.
With electricity prices set to soar and with reliability expected to fall to dangerous levels under its current energy policies, in its May 2025 report, Freezing In The Dark, the Center recommended the state take immediate action, including realistic near- and mid-term strategic objectives:
- Delay all “Act On Climate” milestones and mandates by at least 20 years
- Immediately repeal RI’s Electric Vehicle mandate
- Natural Gas: Work with regional partners to expand pipeline capacity, planning for natural gas to continue as the near- and mid-term primary source of power
- Fossil Fuels: strategically use coal and oil to maintain grid capacity, prioritizing cleaner processing, while maintaining energy security during the long-term transition to renewables as they become market ready
- Nuclear: remove restrictions on advanced nuclear technology (e.g., small modular reactors) for stable, low-carbon baseload power
- Regulatory: review and relax related taxes, regulations, and building codes to ensure they are not overly costly or serve to reduce economic production and output
- Renewables: expand wind, solar, and hydropower … only as they become more market, environment, and wildlife friendly
- Energy Storage: monitor technological developments until battery and grid storage is market-ready and to able support renewables for more than just a few hours
- Grid Modernization: more prudently invest in upgraded infrastructure for resilience and integration of distributed energy sources, avoiding the “sticker price shock” currently forecast
