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Chapter 4. RI Energy.org Rhode Island Renewable Energy Siting Partnership
1. I
NTRODUCTION
The Renewable Energy Siting Partnership evaluated potential opportunities and impacts of land-based renewable energy development in the State of Rhode Island. The information
gathered through the RESP —based on research, expert input, and stakeholder involvement—
provides a foundation for informing sound policy decisions on the state and local level. In order to sustain this capacity for promoting data-driven energy decision-making, the RESP developed
the first Rhode Island-specific website housing energy data, resource mapping and siting tools, and information for citizens, businesses, and government officials. This energy information
clearinghouse is called RI Energy.org
. By providing Rhode Island decision-makers and communities with easy access to a centralized source of energy information,
RI Energy.org will
pave the way for the Ocean State to capture a smarter and brighter energy future. 1.1 Objectives
RI Energy.org was initially conceived in response to a recognition that Rhode Islander
residents, communities, and decision-makers lacked easy access to relevant information regarding energy. Therefore, the primary objective of this site is to make Rhode Island state and
municipal energy data available to the public in a centralized and coherent fashion. An ultimate ambition of the website is to set the stage for future data-driven energy policy by making a
comprehensive baseline energy dataset available to decision-makers. The contents of the site include:
1. Map viewers siting decision support tools 2.
Energy information and data, centralized and publicly available RI Energy “Data Center”
3. Other information and resources on Rhode Island energy
2. G
ATHERING THE
D
ATA
The RESP team took several steps as a matter of due diligence to inform the conceptual design and development of
RI Energy.org . RESP researchers conducted a data needs assessment,
catalogued existing information, and finally, surveyed similar online tools and databases currently used in other states. The following tasks were completed:
1. Assessment of data needs and potential uses 2. Assessment of existing data for Rhode Island
3. Assessment of energy data projects elsewhere in the United States
2.1 Assessment of Data Needs and Potential Uses The Stakeholder Process Public Engagement Chapter of the RESP report details the
efforts on behalf of the RESP to solicit input on data needs from the general public, local and state agencies, advocacy organizations and industry, and other stakeholder audiences. Through
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the stakeholder process, the RESP team identified issues and assessed needs of interest to those engaged in energy work in Rhode Island. The interactions with stakeholder groups, both general
and specific e.g. Municipal Working Group, Hydropower Working Group, helped inform which datasets should be gathered for inclusion in
RI Energy.org .
Based on the participants in the RESP stakeholder process, the expected audiences of RI
Energy.org are local, municipal, and state governments, academic institutions, advocacy groups,
and the general public. Secondary users are likely to be in private industry and quasi-public agencies associated with economic development, renewable energy, or utilities.
The primary data needs of these expected users informed the data collected and incorporated into the final element. For the general public, this may include information on
incentives, rebates, and resources available to support implementation of efficiency or clean energy measures at a residency or business. The general public may also be interested in the
basic facts concerning the effects of developing solar, wind, and hydropower projects throughout the state, including ecological, human, or economic impacts of these projects. Other users such
as policy makers and government agencies may need access to baseline energy datasets to evaluate the potential economic and environmental benefits of clean energy investment at
different economies of scale. Finally, for many of the expected site users, data on the requirements, siting criteria and impacts of renewable energy systems will help guide
implementation at the town level.
Ch. 4 Figure 1. RI Energy Audiences.
Through the stakeholder process, and through a background review, the RESP team determined the body of data deemed necessary to describe Rhode Island’s current energy
systems and to inform adapting these energy systems based on future needs and goals. The final data contents of
RI Energy.org include:
•Information to help educate and promote smart energy decisions
General public and Outreach
•Si gle source for i for atio regardi g State’s e ergy
Policymakers
•Decision support tools to site renewable energy projects
Towns and Communities
•Current and historical data sets readily available for research and analysis
Academics and Industry
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1. Consumption e.g. MWh 2. Price e.g. gal
3. Generation e.g. MWh 4. FacilitiesInfrastructureConstraints e.g. Power Plants, Transmission Lines, Siting
Constraints 5. Emissions e.g. CO
2
Sortable by fuel typeenergy source fossil, renewable, efficient, etc., sector residential, commercial, industrial, etc., and geographical area state, municipality, ZIP
code, etc. as appropriate.
The RESP team chose to provide several means of visualizing the data, in order to optimize an intuitive design, facilitate public understanding of the data, and provide ease of use.
The Rhode Island energy data on RI Energy.org
are displayed: 1. Geospatially
2. Graphically 3. Textually
4. Downloadable pdf, tabular, etc.
2.2. Assessment of Existing Data for Rhode Island The RESP generated a variety new Rhode Island-specific data: from the potential
opportunities and impacts of land-based renewable energy development to historical price, consumption, generation, and emissions data. Many datasets and informational resources
gathered by the RESP also represented a body of existing knowledge. The RESP team sought to collect and aggregate this wealth of existing data, which previously was dispersed throughout
separate silos of disparate government agencies, municipal entities or private sector companies. The RESP organized and centralized this information to make it accessible to the public.
The RESP team worked with multiple project partners to identify important existing data. Through these collaborations, the RESP harvested such diverse data as dam and landfill locations
and specs; electrical and gas consumption; and information on historical districts and locations. In particular, fruitful partnerships were cultivated with the following entities, who supplied key
existing datasets to the RESP: Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management
Rhode Island Statewide Planning Program Rhode Island Historical Preservation and Heritage Commission
Department of Defense, Naval Station Newport National Grid
U.S. Energy Information Administration Rhode Island Municipalities
The existing data helped feed the RESP analysis, and provided a foundation for developing the Rhode Island Energy Data Center on
RI Energy.org .
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2.3 Assessment of Energy Data Projects Elsewhere in the U.S. The RESP team conducted a survey of existing energy data and mapping websites
developed by other states that could provide models for RI Energy.org
. The goal was to leverage best design, features, and functionalities in order to make Rhode Island’s energy website a
superior example of an online state energy website. RI Energy.org
is the first of its kind to blend renewable energy mapping tools with a centralized energy database. Examples were sought that
captured both of these end goals. The Renewable Energy Atlas of Vermont was identified as a model example of a mappingsiting tool and the New Jersey Energy Data Center provided an
instance of how energy data might be compiled, organized and presented.
2.3.1 Renewable Energy Atlas of Vermont
The Renewable Energy Atlas of Vermont was the first tool in the U.S. of its kind to allow users to identify, analyze, and visualize existing and potential sites for multiple types of energy
projects. The site was developed as part of a collaborative effort between the Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund VSJF, Vermont Center for Geographic Information, Fountains Spatial,
and Overit Media based out of Albany, New York. It was funded by the U.S. Department of Energy, the Vermont Clean Energy Development Fund, Vermont Community Foundation, and
Green Mountain Coffee Roasters. The goal of the Renewable Energy Atlas was to let users to assess possibilities for renewable energy and efficiency projects in their town and understand
how these projects would affect energy planning and policies. It targets an audience consisting of the general public, town energy committees, Clean Energy Development Fund, educators,
planners, policy-makers, and businesses. The tool is intended to help decision-makers evaluate options to increase the amount of non-carbon-emitting so
urces of energy in the state’s energy portfolio via the informed and strategic siting of efficiency measures and renewable projects.
The resulting decision-support tool is a GIS-based system that allows its users to select a location and analyze options for wind, solar, hydroelectric, geothermal, and biomass generation
as well as efficiency projects. The mapping interface completes an assessment of the potential energy project, provides the information necessary to interpret the results of the analysis, and the
option to save the map and results as a PDF or URL. The site allows users to work with one energy option at a time and determine the percentage of a given area that is usable in accordance
with multiple siting criteria restrictions and available financing options. The tool displays the steps taken to complete an analysis including calculations,
assumptions, how the data was collected, and from which resources. Site developers used a variety of sources for each data layer appearing on the interactive map. Site users can view these
original sources along with a complete page of metadata for each data layer. Many of the layers were created from ESRI ArcGIS Online basemaps and services and the Vermont Center for
Geographic Information. Additional data sources include True Wind Solutions, LLC and the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative for wind speed maps, the Water Quality Division,
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River Management Section, and Wetlands Section of the Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation DEC for data related to wetlands and hydro dams, the Vermont Agency of
Natural Resources, and the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department. The data collected from these sources is updated frequently in the database and the site documents the date of the most
recent update for each data layer.
1
2.3.2 New Jersey Energy Data Center
The New Jersey Energy Data Center provided a model for energy data and trend visualization. The State of New Jersey Energy Data Center was funded by the New Jersey Board
of Utilities to develop a site that would serve as a data collection and processing tool for its users. The site targets policy makers, businesses, academics, and the general public in the State
of New Jersey by providing data and analyses for energy-related policy decisions. The intuitive design is intended to provide ease of navigation and to promote a general understanding of the
data. The site also provides data for different types of analyses in the New Jersey Energy Master Plan or modeling in the Rutgers Econometric Model.
Users are able to choose from different categories —petroleum, natural gas, and
electricity utilities —and view consumption, price, and emissions data in table or graph format.
The site also provides a section describing the New Jersey Clean Energy Program, the s tate’s
Energy Master Plan, and economic and demographic data from the U.S. Census Bureau and the U.S. Bureau of Labor and Statistics. Besides table and graph formats, the site offers static maps
displaying information such as demographic data, heating fuel breakdown, summer energy capacity, and annual MWh usage by county. The site also provides an “Energy 101” page with
background energy information, facts, and basics for beginners.
Site developers based the New Jersey Energy Data Center on the Energy Information Administration EIA site, which was a primary source for data presented on the site. Other data
sources include the New Jersey Clean Energy Program, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, and PJM, the regional transmission organization for New Jersey. Data needs were identified
principally through meetings with the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities, who funded the project. The site was originally created by a Center for Energy, Economic, and Environmental
Policy CEEEP employee alongside the Board of Public Utilities with the goal of providing up- to-date energy information for the state. As of the time of this writing, the site is now maintained
by a student programmer.
2
2.3.3 Other Examples
Other major databases informing the design of RI Energy.org
include the California Energy Commission Energy Almanac, the United States Energy Information Administration
1
Renewable Energy Atlas of Vermont. http:www.vtenergyatlas.com
2
New Jersey Energy Data Center. http:www.njenergydatacenter.org
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EIA, International Energy Association IEA. These offer public information on fuel pricing, consumption, and production. The CEC Energy Almanac provides a wealth of data related to
energy use in California online and available for download. The U.S. EIA collects and analyzes energy information that covers production, demand, imports, exports, and pricing. The IEA
gathers similar data but is international in scope and provides support for research to improve global energy security and economic development.
3. RI
E
NERGY
.
ORG
C
ONTENTS
3.1 Map Viewers Siting Decision Support Tools The RESP developed an interactive GIS interface to facilitate assessment of energy
resource potential and possible impacts and constraints of developing different energy resources. Separate viewers were developed for each of the following energy resources: wind, hydro, solar,
and efficiency. The purpose of these tools was not to identify the best sites for development in the state, but to provide a resource for municipalities, potential developers, and residents seeking
to understand potential siting considerations at a given location. RESP viewers were developed through compilation of a number of map layers, each one
representing a certain aspect relevant to each particular energy resource. The RESP map viewers enable interested parties to visualize these map layers individually or in combination, and to
manipulate them in order to view select variables of interest. A full description and visual displays of the layers provided in each viewer may be found
in Appendix A. For more information on the RESP research and stakeholder process used to inform the layers in each viewer, please refer to the respective chapter in Volume I of this report
or associated Technical Reports in Volume II of this report. Additionally, a Wind Siting Tool was developed to specifically address the impacts of
land-based wind turbine development. Details concerning this tool may be found in Appendix A as well.
3.2 RI Energy Data Center The RESP established an RI Energy “Data Center”, located on the
RI Energy.org website, to house all the data collected by the RESP and represented in the viewers. The goal of
the Data Center was to provide a comprehensive, publicly accessible collection of Rhode Island- specific energy datasets. In addition to renewable energy siting constraints data, information was
gathered on various fuels and energy sources used in Rhode Island and their historical prices, consumption, generation, associated generation facilitiesinfrastructure, emissions, and other
relevant information. The “Data Center” contains both a database of all the energy data collected through the
RESP, as well as a Map Gallery to provide quick viewing of all the maps produced by the RESP. Downloadable files found in the Data Center correspond to the information visually represented
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in each Map Viewer and graphically represented in each Chart Viewer on RI Energy.org
. Therefore, users who work with a map viewer to analyze renewable energy resources or users
who examine a chart displaying a certain trend can then access the corresponding raw data to manipulate for their own purposes.
Fossil fuel data on RI Energy.org
was gathered independently from the renewable energy data. Technical documentation and a full summary of the electricity and fuel data collected may
be found in Appendix B. 3.3 Additional Resources
RI Energy.org also provides general information and resources regarding energy in
Rhode Island. Some of these resources are geared towards members of the general public; others toward academics or student researchers, still others toward local or state officials. Users new to
energy issues might navigate to the “Energy 101” page to learn more about Rhode Island energy’s landscape or to be directed to educational resources on energy issues. Other users might
visit the “Programs Policies” page looking for incentives to implement energy solutions in their homes or businesses. Some users might browse the portal of energy-related publications
under the “Papers” page to find a resource to further explore a subject of their interest. Still other users may be curious about what agencies, organizations, and partnerships are involved in energy
issues in the state; those visitors would access the “Who’s Who” page.
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4. A
Kategori