Clean energy is poised for growth in Illinois

The Union of Concerned Scientists argues that accelerating the transition from coal to clean energy in Illinois would improve public health, lower electric bills, and spur local investment without significantly increasing costs for ratepayers.

• Replacing Illinois' coal plants with clean energy offers benefits that outweigh the costs, with rewards increasing the sooner the transition occurs. Specifically, closing these plants before 2030 would reduce premature deaths and various serious health issues, including heart attacks, hospital admissions, and chronic bronchitis.
• The analysis indicates that coal plants in Illinois are losing competitiveness and that accelerating their closure would reduce pollution and lower electric bills. Many of these plants could be fully replaced using a mix of storage, solar power, and other grid technologies.
• Case studies of five communities—three where plants closed and two where they remain—emphasize that stakeholder engagement is critical for understanding local needs during energy transitions.

APA

Union of Concerned Scientists (2018). Clean energy is poised for growth in Illinois. https://www.ucs.org/resources/soot-solar-0

Chicago

Union of Concerned Scientists. Clean energy is poised for growth in Illinois. 2018. https://www.ucs.org/resources/soot-solar-0.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Union of Concerned Scientists |title=Clean energy is poised for growth in Illinois |date=24 October 2018 |url=https://www.ucs.org/resources/soot-solar-0 |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{unionofconcernedscientists2018clean, author = {{Union of Concerned Scientists}}, title = {{Clean energy is poised for growth in Illinois}}, institution = {Union of Concerned Scientists}, year = {2018}, month = oct, url = {https://www.ucs.org/resources/soot-solar-0}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }