Senate to vote on renewable energy bill

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) - A bill intended to spur the construction of renewable energy sources in Rhode Island soon goes before the state Senate for approval.

The proposal is set for a vote Tuesday afternoon and would require energy distributor National Grid to buy an increasing percentage of its power from green sources such as wind turbines and solar panels for 10 years or longer.

Advocates for renewable energy say the bill is necessary to make sure a large, creditworthy customer will buy the renewable energy. Without a buyer, developers say they cannot secure financing to start building.

The bill represents a compromise that ended a long-running dispute between Republican Gov. Don Carcieri and Democratic lawmakers over how to structure the market.