A novel Micro-pattern gaseous detector (MPGD), thick GEM with electrodes made of a resistive material (RETGEM) is presented. In this paper we mainly investigate the energy resolution of a RETGEM in Ar + CO2 with different gas mixtures. The results indicate that an energy resolution 30% in single and double mode can be obtained. The existence of an optimum energy resolution is discussed. © 2010 Chinese Physical Society and the Institute of High Energy Physics of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the Institute of Modern Physic...