The state’s new “Roadmap for Advancing the Green Economy in Rhode Island” calls for the installation of 100 megawatts of onshore wind power capacity, enough to generate electricity to power up to 325,000 households a year, according to the American Wind Energy Association. more

For all its byzantine regulatory nightmares, Rhode Island is remarkably advanced in addressing the uses of the ocean waters. The Special Area Management Plan that is to be finished later this year in a collaborative effort between the University of Rhode Island and the Coastal Resources Management Council is likely to be used as a national template for any use of the country’s offshore resources, whether for recreational, commercial fishing or, as in the case of renewable energy facilities, industrial uses. Anyone planning a project offshore – say a wind turbine farm – will know exactly what is required to clear the regulatory hurdles, and they can then decide whether to go ahead with the project. more

Executives say Rhode Island is suffering because the mishmash of local regulations governing wind turbines deters installers. more

A consultant for the R.I. Division of Public Utilities and Carriers said in testimony that the price of electricity from a proposed offshore wind farm was on the high end of price ranges for renewable energy projects. more

Carbon dioxide permits in the U.S. Northeast’s cap-and-trade program for power plants fell to their lowest level this year on waning public concern over emissions that scientists blame for global warming, Bloomberg News reported. more

ESS Group Inc. has expanded from conducting sleepy environmental studies into a full-service environmental consulting group. more

Local environmentalists have found statutes can be a powerful tool as they seek to advance their goals. more

The price of clams may go way up this summer, as state environmental officials track reports that widespread red tide outbreaks may hit southern New England waters. more

The state started using federal stimulus money to pay for weatherizing residences last month after it was criticized for a slow start, said Energy Office Administrator Kenneth Payne. more

Musician – and avid bicyclist – David Byrne will moderate a panel entitled “Cities, Bicycles and the Future of Getting Around” at the second annual Sen. Claiborne Pell Lecture on March 9. more

The Narragansett Indian Tribe is interested in acquiring the land the U.S. Navy plans to abandon on Aquidneck Island after all. more

The EDC says the state needs to help businesses and residents looking to deploy or develop green technologies get access to capital. more

Environmental activists say a national program to collect mercury thermostats to prevent contamination is failing in Rhode Island. more

Hydropower backers say dams could generate enough electricity to power up to 4,000 homes and provide a solid return on investment. more

Small commercial customers will see their electric bills rise by between 0.2 and 4.1 percent on March 1, according to the latest National Grid filing. more

The R.I. Supreme Court on Thursday sent the proposed expansion of Block Island’s Champlin’s Marina back to the R.I. Coastal Resources Management Council for another vote. more

Last week’s predicted blizzard never materialized. Snow, yes; end of the world as we know it, not quite. more

In today’s “red” economy, some may argue that green real estate is a passing fad. However, all signs indicate just the opposite: Green is the future standard in the real estate industry, including commercial leases. Landlords and tenants often share green-leasing goals. However, the allocation between landlord and tenant of the responsibilities, costs and benefits of compliance with green goals can be a thorny issue, sometimes resulting in a heavily negotiated and complex lease document. Negotiating green compliance most impacts a commercial lease in areas such as: more

A new report calls for pumping millions into developing a green economy, imposing stricter building codes for energy efficiency, aiming to make Quonset a hub for the wind industry and developing green manufacturing research center. more

A dramatic exhibition partly designed by Brown scientists illustrates how New England would be affected by rising sea levels. more