This is the home of the Portsmouth Economic Development Committee (PEDC) Sustainable Energy Initiative - your authoritative source of information on energy initiatives in Portsmouth.

Our Wind Turbine Generator Went on line in March 2009. Go to our WIND POWER PAGE to get information about the turbine project and development.

What is “Sustainable Energy”?

“Sustainable Energy” means providing for our energy needs without depleting our planet’s natural resources (like oil). Another related term is “ Renewable Energy”. That means being able to generate energy with resources that are naturally regenerated (like wind).

Sustainable energy has two arms; one is energy generation from renewable sources and the other is energy conservation. Both are required to close the gap to our goal of “sustainment” in our energy needs.

Each potential process of helping us attain our goal has both positives and negatives. Solar power is great and uses the sun, but solar panels are expensive and create some waste and consume natural resources in the manufacturing processes. Nuclear power can provide significant power with the use of a small amount of uranium, but has obvious drawbacks. Even the use of fluorescent lamps, although they use less power may create additional mercury contamination if they are improperly disposed.

We have established a PEDC Sustainable Energy Subcommittee. Their charter is to continually look at “the next best thing” that can provide near-term energy payoff for the Town. As technology provides better alternatives, like affordable Light Emitting Diode (LED) lamps or tidal current energy systems, the subcommittee will review them for potential implementation.

Since 2004, the Sustainable Energy Subcommittee has focused on Wind Power as the most promising near-term technology that will help us toward that “sustainable” energy goal. Go to our WIND POWER PAGE to see how our wind turbine is making our town more sustainable.

WHAT's NEXT? We are a volunteer group and, after the wind project winds down. we will focus our limited, but dedicated, resources on the next best thing to help us work on our sustainable energy goal. We will be working closely with the Aquidneck Island Planning Commission to establish an Aquidneck Island Energy Alliance so we can pool the island's resources to work sustainable energy issues.

WHAT CAN YOU DO? THE POWER OF ACTION - You can take the first step with the help of National Grid Power of Action and become more energy efficient. Click on the icon below for more info.

Please send any questions or comments on sustainable energy to questions@PortsmouthRIenergy.com