Title 5
Businesses and Professions

Chapter 93
Residential Solar Energy Disclosure and Homeowners Bill of Rights Act [Effective March 1, 2025.]

R.I. Gen. Laws § 5-93-2

§ 5-93-2. Definitions. [Effective March 1, 2025.]

As used in this chapter:

(1) “Customer” means a person who, for primarily personal, family, or household purposes:

(i) Purchases a residential solar energy system under a system purchase agreement;

(ii) Leases a residential solar energy system under a system lease agreement; or

(iii) Purchases electricity under a power purchase agreement.

(2) “Department” means the department of business regulation.

(3) “Lease” means to transfer the right to possession and use of a residential solar energy system for a term to a customer on behalf of a solar retailer in return for monetary payment or consideration.

(4) “Power purchase agreement” means an agreement:

(i) Between a customer and a solar retailer;

(ii) For the customer’s purchase of electricity generated by a residential solar energy system owned by the solar retailer; and

(iii) That provides for the customer to make payments over a term of at least five (5) years.

(5) “Residential solar energy system” means a solar energy system that:

(i) Is installed in the state;

(ii) Generates electricity primarily for on-site consumption for personal, family, or household purposes;

(iii) Is situated on no more than four (4) units of residential real property;

(iv) Has an electricity delivery capacity that exceeds one kilowatt; and

(v) Does not include a generator that:

(A) Produces electricity; and

(B) Is intended for occasional use.

(6) “Sell” means to transfer a residential solar energy system to a customer on behalf of a solar retailer in return for monetary payment or other consideration.

(7) “Solar agreement” means a system purchase agreement, a system lease agreement, or a power purchase agreement.

(8) “Solar energy system” means a system or configuration of solar energy devices that collects and uses solar energy to generate electricity.

(9) “Solar retailer” means a person who:

(i) Sells or proposes to sell a residential solar energy system to a customer under a system purchase agreement;

(ii) Owns the residential solar energy system that is the subject of a system lease agreement or proposed system lease agreement; or

(iii) Sells or proposes to sell electricity to a customer under a power purchase agreement.

(10) “Solicit” means offering or attempting to sell or lease a residential solar energy system to a person or requesting, urging, or attempting to persuade a person to purchase, lease, or apply for a particular kind of solar system from a particular solar retailer.

(11) “System lease agreement” means an agreement:

(i) Under which a customer leases a residential solar energy system from a solar retailer; and

(ii) That provides for the customer to make payments over a term of at least five (5) years for the lease of the residential solar energy system.

(12) “System purchase agreement” means an agreement under which a customer purchases a residential solar energy system from a solar retailer.

History of Section.
P.L. 2024, ch. 67, § 2, effective March 1, 2025; P.L. 2024, ch. 68, § 2, effective March 1, 2025.