Meeting the Clean Power Plan in Illinois

The Union of Concerned Scientists argues that Illinois can cost-effectively meet its Clean Power Plan (CPP) target—reducing carbon emissions by 34 percent below 2012 levels by 2030—by adopting a "Clean Path Case." This approach involves strengthening the state's renewable portfolio standard (RPS) and energy efficiency portfolio standard (EEPS) alongside a mass-based emissions trading program. The analysis suggests this pathway would yield nearly 6,000 MW of new wind and solar capacity, reduce typical household electricity costs by 9.4 percent by 2030, and generate $14.3 billion in cumulative health and economic benefits through 2030 by reducing CO2, SO2, and NOx pollution.

• Illinois' specific target under the Clean Power Plan is to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 35 million tons, or 34 percent below 2012 levels, by the year 2030.
• The proposed "Clean Path Case" would result in nearly 6,000 MW of new wind and solar capacity in Illinois by 2030, stimulating $6.3 billion in new capital investments.
• Implementing the Clean Path Case is projected to save the electric system more than $2.6 billion cumulatively from 2015 through 2030 and reduce a typical household's annual electricity costs by $100 (9.4 percent) by 2030.
• A mass-based emissions trading program with auctioned allowances could generate an average of $603 million in annual revenue for Illinois from 2022 to 2030.
• The Clean Path Case would provide $14.3 billion in cumulative health and economic benefits through 2030 by reducing CO2, sulfur dioxide (SO2), and nitrogen oxides (NOx) pollution.
• Under the Clean Path Case, energy efficiency savings would reach 25 percent of total electricity sales by 2030, and renewables would supply more than 30 percent of total sales.

APA

Union of Concerned Scientists (2016). Meeting the Clean Power Plan in Illinois. https://www.ucs.org/sites/default/files/attach/2016/02/clean-power-plan-illinois.pdf

Chicago

Union of Concerned Scientists. Meeting the Clean Power Plan in Illinois. 2016. https://www.ucs.org/sites/default/files/attach/2016/02/clean-power-plan-illinois.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Union of Concerned Scientists |title=Meeting the Clean Power Plan in Illinois |date=February 2016 |url=https://www.ucs.org/sites/default/files/attach/2016/02/clean-power-plan-illinois.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{unionofconcernedscientists2016meeting, author = {{Union of Concerned Scientists}}, title = {{Meeting the Clean Power Plan in Illinois}}, institution = {Union of Concerned Scientists}, year = {2016}, month = feb, url = {https://www.ucs.org/sites/default/files/attach/2016/02/clean-power-plan-illinois.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }