The Union of Concerned Scientists recently released an updated analysis, States of Progress, which shows that existing clean energy commitments will put most states well on the path to meeting their Clean Power Plan 2022 emissions benchmarks and 2030 final target. These commitments include carbon caps, mandatory renewable energy and energy efficiency standards, announced coal retirements, and bringing on line nuclear power plants currently under construction.
Using the Clean Power Plan’s rate-based approach for setting emissions goals, the analysis shows that:
- 31 states are already on track to be more than halfway toward meeting their 2022 Clean Power Plan benchmarks, with 21 states set to surpass it. The 31 states are Alabama, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Washington, and Wisconsin.
- 20 states are already on track to be more than halfway toward meeting their 2030 Clean Power Plan target, with 16 states set to surpass their 2030 Clean Power Plan targets. The 20 states are California, Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Utah, and Washington.
Indiana findings:
- If the state had not repealed its energy efficiency resource standard last year, it would have been on track to surpass its 2020 benchmark.
- Indiana is on track to be 37 percent of the way towards meeting its 2020 benchmark primarily because of announced coal plant closures. Eighteen coal generating units will retire between 2012 and 2020. These units generate 9,035 gigawatt-hours of electricity, which is equivalent to 10 percent of the state’s coal-fired generation.
- The state has a Clean Energy Portfolio Goal, a voluntary measure that reduces carbon emissions only modestly.
- Indiana can meet its mandatory 2030 emissions reduction requirement a number of ways including by:
o Reinstating its energy efficiency standard, which the state repealed last year.
o Strengthening its Clean Energy Portfolio Goal to encourage more renewable energy use.
o Creating a regional program that allows Midwest states to work together to reduce emissions.
To learn more about the analysis, please see:
- States of Progress webpage
- Slide deck summarizing the key findings of the analysis
- Blogpost from UCS Senior Energy Analyst, Jeremy Richardson that describes the analysis and our methodology
- UCS press release
For more information, please contact:
Jessica Collingsworth
Midwest Energy Advocate
Union of Concerned Scientists
One North LaSalle Street, Suite 1904
Chicago, Illinois 60602
Direct: (312) 578-1750 x11
Mobile: (312) 550-1029