Rhode Island bill could pave the way for solar panels along major highways in the state
The bill would call for a commission to look at the costs, benefits, safety, and infrastructure concerns.
By: Tim Studebaker
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PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WLNE) – Could highway medians in Rhode Island soon be lined with solar panels? It’s a possibility lawmakers may consider thanks to a bill sponsored by State Rep. Robert Phillips.
Phillips says, “Wouldn’t it be nice if we were able to utilize this land in a different way, save the money from the DOT workers having to mow it, and also reap some of the benefits by putting solar panels here and reduce some of the energy consumption and the fossil fuels that we have here in the state.”
If passed, the bill would clear the way for a commission that would look into what it would take to install solar panels on the otherwise largely unused land along some of Rhode Island’s major highways.
Phillips says, “My first thoughts were 95, 195, 295, and 146.”
The commission would be responsible for exploring the costs and benefits, any safety concerns, and infrastructure needs.
Phillips says, “When you generate the electricity or the power, you need to be able to get it to the grid, so that’s one of the items that we’d have to research is how are we going to get it to the grid.”
Phillips says there may be grant money available to cover installation costs, and the energy the panels produce could be sold to the utility company to offset the state’s electric bill.
Phillips says, “Reduce our bill and we can take that money and move it over to another area that is in need of extra funding.”
The bill is in review by the house finance committee, and Phillips hopes to get it on the governor’s desk for a signature before the end of the session.
Phillips says, “I think it would be well received by both bodies and I believe the governor would probably sign it, thinking that it’s a good idea to try and expound money in other areas instead of wasting it on the fossil fuels.”
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