Rhode Island has recently added to its suite of clean transportation rebate programs! This new program, ChargeRI, is designed to expand access to more affordable, energy-efficient electric vehicle (EV) charging for all Rhode Island residents. With an initial program budget of $2,500,000 and four sectors that can apply, Rhode Island is taking a big step towards a clean, affordable, reliable, and equitable future. Here's how you can significantly reduce the up-front costs of installing EV charging!

What is ChargeRI and who can benefit?

The Rhode Island Office of Energy Resources' (OER’s) ChargeRI program offers financial incentives for the purchase and installation of qualifying electric vehicle supply equipment at eligible sites across the state. The program prioritizes property owners, businesses, municipalities, educational institutions, and authorized representatives (basically, the installer you choose) through four key sectors:

• Multi-Unit Dwellings: 45% of the budget is allocated here, and included in this sector are residential buildings holding five or more housing units, including buildings that house renters.

• Publicly Accessible Commercial Sites: 25% of the budget is allocated to this sector, and it includes sites such as gas stations, retail stores, hotels and restaurants, and similar sites.

• Municipalities & Educational Sites: 20% of the budget is allocated here, and it applies to city and town governments, public school districts, colleges, or universities.

• Workplaces: The final 10% of the budget is allocated here, and it applies to private employers installing Level 2 charging equipment for employee use or fleet charging.

Rhode Island-based nonprofit organizations with an active 501(c)(3) status are eligible to apply under any of the four sectors.

There are a few important logistical considerations for the program as well.

The process for applying for this program follows these steps:

1. Apply for reserved funding through the online application portal 1

2. Receive an award letter from the Office of Energy Resources containing your reservation ID

3. Purchase and install your Energy-Star certified EV charger

4. Request a site inspection by emailing OER (An OER representative will come check the site for compliance with the ChargeRI Accessibility Guidelines)

5. Submit your final documentation through the second online application portal using your reservation ID

As you may be able to tell based on the application process, OER does not offer up-front payment for this program. Rebates through ChargeRI can only be received post-purchase and installation, once final documentation has been submitted through the online portal and verified by the OER team. Rebates are received as a one-time check in the mail following verification by the OER team. Understand that the funding is reserved on a first-come, first-served basis, and once a sector’s allocated funding is fully reserved, OER will post a notice on the ChargeRI website.

Key Requirements & Limits

With the goal of providing geographically equitable funding, ChargeRI has some key requirements and limits to highlight as well.

Application Limits

Only one application can be submitted per address, and each site must have a distinct postal code address attached to it. As such, one entity that is applying for multiple sites must use different addresses for each application. One entity can be approved for multiple funding reservations at a time, but it is capped at three. This is not a hard cap; once a site project is completed and paid out, the entity can apply for another funding reservation. Projects that have received NEVI funding are not eligible to apply for ChargeRI funding. Lastly, OER reserves the right to limit approvals in any zip code area. This is done to ensure an equitable distribution of funds across the state.

Installation Requirements

Firstly, the EV charger must be Energy-Star certified (you can find qualifying equipment here), and Level 1 charging equipment is not eligible. Along with the Energy-Star certification, a minimum three-year network/cloud service agreement is required for each project to ensure that the station will be monitored and remain functional for consistent use. To ensure equitable access to this new clean transportation tech, each site project is required to have at least one ADA accessible parking spot. Approved projects must be completed within six months of receiving an approval letter from OER.

Let's talk numbers.

Now to get into the important part: the rebate amounts. The baseline to work off is that the rebate will amount to the lesser of the applicable cost coverage multiplied by the project cost, or the per-site dollar cap. There is an additional environmental justice (EJ) adder of +5% above standard rates for RI state-designated environmental justice communities. Check out the tables below for all of the important numbers for each applicable sector. Black text refers to the standard rates, while orange text refers to the EJ community rates.

Multi-Unit Dwellings

Publicly Accessible Commercial Sites

Municipalities & Educational Campuses

Workplaces

For an example of how to calculate your rebate amount, see the FAQs on OER's website here.

How does ChargeRI differ from existing rebate programs?

Rhode Island OER already has an existing rebate program for EV chargers in place, known as PowerUpRI. There is a major distinguishing factor between the two programs, being the focus area(s) of each program. PowerUpRI is strictly focused on incentivizing the installation of residential charging stations, while ChargeRI is designed to incentivize charging infrastructure installation for public entities and businesses in addition to larger residential buildings.

Homeowners, or residents who rent within RI, are eligible to apply for PowerUpRi rebates; tenants must provide a signed letter from the landlord permitting installation of a charger. Similarly to ChargeRI, multi-unit dwellings are eligible for this program, but are limited to those with four or fewer units.

Apply now!

The program is currently open, and funding has been allocated across all four sectors. As a reminder, these funds will be reserved on a first-come, first-served basis. Interested parties can submit an application here. Make sure to take advantage of the rebates while they’re available!

For questions about the program: Energy.ChargeRI@energy.ri.gov