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State energy pathway · Rhode Island

Start with the energy systems shaping Rhode Island.

Rhode Island opened America's first offshore wind farm, yet 87 percent of the state's electricity still comes from natural gas. Rhode Island students can examine Block Island Wind Farm—a working offshore installation that connects to the mainland grid via an undersea cable—to understand how commercial offshore wind integrates into the electrical system.

Energy data is from the EIA State Energy Data System, EIA State Electricity Profiles, NCSL State Energy Legislation Database, and state economic development offices.

See why energy matters hereJump to the matched course

Why Energy Matters in Rhode Island

First Mover in Offshore Wind

Rhode Island's Block Island Wind Farm set a precedent by proving that offshore wind could be built and operated commercially in American waters. That practical demonstration matters because it showed other states and developers how the real challenges — installation, grid connection, reliability — could be solved. Students who examine Block Island's design and operation learn how Rhode Island addressed the technical and grid-connection challenges of building an offshore wind installation in American waters.

Natural Gas Supply-Chain Vulnerability

Rhode Island generates 87% of its electricity from natural gas — the highest share of any US state — but has no in-state gas production and depends entirely on pipelines running through Connecticut. That supply-chain constraint makes reliable, local power generation a genuine resilience concern for the state. Students who stress-test outage scenarios learn why Rhode Island's grid needs both generation and backup capacity to handle pipeline disruption.

Latimer Energy Academy helps students in Rhode Island stress-test resilient power systems so they can model and evaluate the offshore wind and coastal grid infrastructure their state has built.

Energy data is from the EIA State Energy Data System, EIA State Electricity Profiles, NCSL State Energy Legislation Database, and state economic development offices.

Start here for Rhode Island

The Microgrid: Optimization & Resilience

Rhode Island generates 87% of its electricity from natural gas and depends entirely on pipelines from Connecticut, creating a critical supply-chain vulnerability. Because nearly all of that supply flows through a single interstate pipeline pathway, any disruption threatens statewide power availability — the exact scenario a resilient local grid is designed to handle. Students who stress-test resilience scenarios can understand why Rhode Island needs backup capacity and local generation to maintain power when pipeline supply is disrupted.

Mission spotlight

Push It to Failure

Students stress-test outages and recovery scenarios to understand the real constraints on Rhode Island's power systems. Rhode Island generates 87% of its electricity from natural gas delivered through pipelines from Connecticut — a supply-chain bottleneck that local grid resilience must address. Through modeling what happens when that supply is disrupted, they can evaluate why Rhode Island might need distributed generation and backup capacity to maintain power.

Included in LEA curriculum

Pilot proof

Students enjoy the work because it feels real.

In January 2026, 39 fourth-grade students in Indianapolis completed every lesson from start to finish — coding real pocket computers (microcontrollers), collecting live energy readings, and presenting findings to an audience.

4.6/5

Student enjoyment

72% of students gave it a 5-star rating

100%

Reported learning something new

Every student who took the survey said they learned something new

39

Students completed the entire course

Every student finished all five lessons, coded a pocket computer (microcontroller), and presented findings

Available to book today

Book the support that fits Rhode Island.

Whether you want to get LEA into the hands of students this semester, plan for a pilot next year, or just learn more about the state-specific approach, you can book a session with our team to get the support you need.

School or district consultation

Review the state-specific entry point, pilot scope, and what implementation would look like for your classrooms.

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Founder-led instruction session

Bring Dr. Naeem Turner-Bandele in to teach a project and show what high-quality facilitation looks like with students.

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Family or community guidance

Get help choosing the right starting point for home learning, after-school use, or a community organization rollout.

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Utility or business partnership call

Discuss local workforce relevance, territory fit, and how we can collaborate to support energy education in your community.

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Find your path

Choose your next step based on how you want to use LEA in Rhode Island.

Select your path below to see the approach designed for how you will use LEA in Rhode Island — whether you run a classroom, lead a school, or support a student at home.

Find the right starting point

Schools

Curriculum and professional development for your district

Teachers

Lesson plans and resources for your classroom

Parents

Learn alongside your child with guided family activities

Community

Hands-on energy programs for clubs and community groups

Utilities

STEM outreach and workforce pipeline programs

Businesses

Partner with Latimer Energy Academy to build the energy and technology workforce