The Energy Efficiency and Resource Management Council (EERMC) was established in 2006 under amendments to the Rhode Island Energy Resources Act (R.I.G.L. § 42-140.1) to provide structured stakeholder participation and oversight of energy efficiency procurement. The Council includes members that represent small and large business, non-profit organizations, market rate and low-income home-owners and renters, municipalities, governments and environmental science and policy. As defined in the statute, the purpose of the EERMC is to maximize benefits to Rhode Island energy consumers through energy efficiency.

Rhode Island is among the leading energy efficiency jurisdictions in North America. The presence of a council consisting of stakeholders focused on energy efficiency policy planning is a key driver of Rhode Island’s success. The strength of the Council comes from the fact that diverse, key stakeholders representing all types of Rhode Island interests work together to make decisions from a common set of facts to implement the legislative mandate to acquire all cost-effective efficiency resources. The EERMC has shifted that nature of decision making from an adversarial process to a collaboration.