PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) – Lawmakers have passed a bill that mandates increased use of renewable energy sources, such as the sun and wind, beginning in 2007.

The Clean Energy Act gradually bumps the amount of electricity generated by renewable energy sources to 16 percent by the year 2020. Those sources account for about 2 percent of electricity used currently. That would rise to three percent in 2007, and keep going up after that.

Supporters say the act will help lower reliance on coal, oil and natural gas – fuels generally regarded as causing air pollution.

The act will raise electricity rates, as the percentage of electricity derived from nontraditional sources increases.

The bill passed the House and the Senate in separate, unanimous votes earlier this week. It now goes to Gov. Don Carcieri for consideration.

If approved, it would make Rhode Island one of 13 states with renewable energy requirements. Connecticut, Maine, and Massachusetts have similar laws among New England states.

Sources for renewable energy include solar radiation, wind, the oceans, the heat of the earth, small hydroelectric and biomass facilities and fuel cells.

About 90 environmental organizations and other groups backed the law, according to The Providence Journal.

“I think it’s a great step forward on a new energy path that’s smarter and cleaner and is going to mean great things for Rhode Island,” said Kate Canada, of the Rhode Island Public Interest Research Group, or RIPIRG.

Narragansett Electric also supports it, after opposing earlier versions.

“We still have significant concern about costs,” said Fred Mason, a Narragansett Electric spokesman. “But we’re satisfied the appropriate checks are in place to prevent that from happening.”

The utility serves 465,000 customers in Rhode Island. In the year that ended last June, the company got 33 percent of its energy from natural gas, 27 percent from nuclear energy, 20 percent from coal, 9 percent from oil, and the rest from other sources.

The renewable energy’s integration will be monitored by the state Public Utilities Commission. The commission could cancel the planned increments if prices were to rise too dramatically, or if there isn’t enough renewable energy to buy.