Bristol County
Bristol County, Rhode Island: solar permitting grade B (score 40/100, Moderate Risk). Score has been stable over the last 12 months. Primary-source ordinance and board-vote data on SitePath.
Public summary
| Grade | B · Moderate Risk · Score 40/100 |
| Population | 50,793 |
| Solar ordinance | No specific solar ordinance recorded |
| Active moratorium | None on record |
| Regulatory trajectory | Improving (ordinance direction easing) |
| 12-month score movement | Stable |
| Last verified | 2026-05-02 |
Developer outlook
Bristol County presents moderate permitting risk; conditions are generally workable for utility-scale solar with standard due-diligence preparation. Rhode Island's state RPS policy provides a supportive macro backdrop for renewables, even where individual county ordinances are restrictive. Market saturation is elevated in this area — expect competition for prime land parcels and interconnection capacity.
Local intel
No energy-related meetings, PSC dockets, or named opposition tracked for this county yet. See indexed calendar →
Nearby counties where SitePath is tracking energy activity: Newport County (≈14 mi) · Providence County (≈19 mi) · Plymouth County (≈34 mi)
Cities, towns & townships
In Rhode Island, towns hold their own zoning and land-use authority, so the rules for a site in Bristol County often depend on which of these governments it falls in.
- Barrington town
- Bristol town
- Warren town
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, incorporated places and county subdivisions with an active government.
Nearby counties
- Bristol County, MA · ≈11 miC42—
- Newport County · ≈14 miC46—
- Kent County · ≈15 miC42—
- Providence County · ≈19 miB35—
- Washington County · ≈27 miB37—
- Norfolk County, MA · ≈33 miB41—
Compare these counties side-by-side →
Bristol County ranks #3 of 5 ranked Rhode Island counties (1 = lowest permitting risk). Lowest-risk in Rhode Island: Providence County (B · 35), Washington County (B · 37), Kent County (C · 42). See all Rhode Island county grades →
Want the full record?
Setback distances, board vote histories, source documents, and ordinance amendments are available in the full county profile. The map is free; a walkthrough shows you the underlying record.
About this score
Every U.S. county is scored 0–100 on solar permitting risk (lower is friendlier to development). The grade is a weighted composite of compliance stringency, market saturation, regulatory trajectory, and data uncertainty. Every figure traces back to a primary government document. Read the full methodology →
Related reading
SitePath Intelligence is a research platform. Data verified as of 2026-05-02. Scores update on a quarterly review cycle.