Federal Grants Mean Big Energy Savings in Four Rhode Island Communities

 Twitter: @markcurtisABC6 

It’s been a cold snowy winter, but some local governments are turning energy savings into cold hard cash.

Using a federal environmental grant, Warwick replaced the cooling pipes at a city ice rink, upgraded ventilation, and added energy efficient lights.

“We’re looking at probably, overall savings of over 20 thousand dollars a year in energy costs,” said Mayor Scott Avedisian, (R) Warwick.

“It saves money, reduces energy use and lowers greenhouse gas emissions. So it’s really one of those rare, win, win, win, projects,” said Commissioner Marion Gold, from the Rhode Island Office of Energy Resources.

Warwick also did energy retrofits on fire houses, and that could save another 15 thousand per year.

South Kingstown did the same, and is seeing big savings.

North Providence, too.

“Here along historic Main Street in East Greenwich, they did something as simple as changing the light bulbs on the street lanterns,” said ABC6 Chief Political Reporter Mark Curtis.

The new LED lights will save East Greenwich about 10 thousand dollar per year

In all, the four Rhode Island communities received a half million dollars in federal grants to make the energy efficient changes.

“It is a learning process for how we can become more efficient and takes steps to reduce our carbon footprint in every community,” said Regional EPA Administrator Curt Spalding.

“It is very important to turn that corner and start to reduce what we are doing to our atmosphere and oceans,” said Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, (D) Rhode Island.

The program helped to get rid of six thousand inefficient refrigerators in Rhode Island, and paid for seven thousand home energy audits for more energy savings.