Rhode Island targets 1 GW of clean energy by end-2020

March 6 (Renewables Now) - Rhode Island governor Gina M Raimondo announced on Friday that the state will seek to increase its clean energy generation capacity to 1,000 MW by the end of 2020 from about 100 MW in 2016.

In order to achieve the new "1,000 by '20" goal, Rhode Island will utilise a broad range of clean energy resources, including offshore and onshore wind as well as solar power, according to the announcement.

“Because of the investments we've made and with partnerships across the state, we will increase the amount of clean energy in Rhode Island by 1,000 percent and we'll double our green economy workforce," the governor commented.

During her State of the State address, the governor announced a similar strategic goal to double the number of Rhode Islanders that work in the green energy sector by 2020.

Rhode Island is the first and currently the only US state with an operational offshore wind farm, namely the 30-MW Block Island plant that was developed by Deepwater Wind. The five-turbine park entered into service in December 2016.