THE CLEAN POWER PLAN IS WITHIN REACH

Energy Innovation used the Energy Policy Simulator to determine that a specific combination of six policies could meet the Clean Power Plan's goal of reducing power sector CO2 emissions by 32 percent by 2030 while saving the U.S. economy nearly 40 billion dollars between 2016 and 2030. The recommended package focuses on improving coal plant efficiency, accelerating coal retirements, enhancing building and industrial energy efficiency, implementing a 25 percent national average renewable portfolio standard, and increasing transmission capacity. The report contrasts this approach with more expensive alternatives, such as those relying heavily on nuclear power or carbon capture and storage.

• A cost-effective package of six policies can meet the Clean Power Plan's emissions goals and generate nearly 40 billion dollars in savings for the U.S. between 2016 and 2030.
• To meet the Clean Power Plan, the recommended scenario includes a 6% improvement in coal power plant efficiency by 2030 and the retirement of an additional 3 GW of coal-fired plants annually, reducing total U.S. coal capacity from 330 GW in 2013 to 241 GW in 2030.
• The proposed strategy emphasizes energy efficiency, targeting a 50% improvement in the efficiency of new lighting by 2030 and a 3% improvement in industrial energy intensity by 2030.
• The report recommends a 25% national average renewable portfolio standard (RPS) and a 5% increase in transmission capacity by 2030 to support the growth of wind (to 227 GW) and solar photovoltaics (to 162 MW).
• Modeling indicates that increasing the utilization of existing natural gas plants is not included in the optimal scenario because natural gas can act as a substitute for lower-cost renewable energy.

APA

Energy Innovation (2015). THE CLEAN POWER PLAN IS WITHIN REACH. https://energyinnovation.org/wp-content/uploads/CleanPowerPlanAlternatives.pdf

Chicago

Energy Innovation. THE CLEAN POWER PLAN IS WITHIN REACH. 2015. https://energyinnovation.org/wp-content/uploads/CleanPowerPlanAlternatives.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Energy Innovation |title=THE CLEAN POWER PLAN IS WITHIN REACH |date=October 2015 |url=https://energyinnovation.org/wp-content/uploads/CleanPowerPlanAlternatives.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{energyinnovation2015clean, author = {{Energy Innovation}}, title = {{THE CLEAN POWER PLAN IS WITHIN REACH}}, institution = {Energy Innovation}, year = {2015}, month = oct, url = {https://energyinnovation.org/wp-content/uploads/CleanPowerPlanAlternatives.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }