Rhode Island plans to add solar-panel canopies, battery storage and electric-vehicle charging at two Capitol Hill parking areas in Providence, with construction expected to begin near the end of the first quarter of 2027.
The installations will occupy the largest lot behind the Department of Administration and the lot beside the Department of Health, the Office of Energy Resources said in its Oct. 26 announcement.
A $4.5 million federal earmark secured by U.S. Sen. Jack Reed is being matched with Office of Energy Resources funding for the projects, which the office describes as totaling about $9 million. The office expects the projects to qualify in 2028 for a federal tax credit worth an estimated $3 million to $3.7 million, subject to eligibility requirements.
The systems need to begin operating by late 2027 to secure the expected credits, the office said. Together with existing rooftop panels, they would bring the campus to about one megawatt of solar capacity.
The announcement did not give the number of charging ports, parking closures or projected annual dollar savings.