Power Sector Opportunities: Reducing Carbon Dioxide Emissions in Michigan

WRI analysis indicates that Michigan can reduce its CO2 emissions by 33 percent below 2011 levels by 2020 using current state policies and infrastructure. Key opportunities include meeting the renewable portfolio standard through in-state generation, increasing combined heat and power capacity, fully utilizing existing combined cycle natural gas capacity, and improving the efficiency of coal-fired power plants.

• Michigan has the potential to reduce its CO2 emissions by 33 percent below 2011 levels by 2020 through the use of existing state policies and infrastructure, which would meet or exceed stringent EPA standards for existing power plants.
• Meeting the state's renewable energy standard, which requires 10 percent of electricity sold to come from renewable sources by 2015, via in-state generation could reduce CO2 emissions by 8 percent below 2011 levels by 2020.
• Increasing the capacity factor of existing combined cycle natural gas (NGCC) units from 24 percent (the 2011 level) to 75 percent would reduce reliance on coal and lower CO2 emissions by 7 percent below 2011 levels by 2020.
• Michigan possesses nearly 5 gigawatts of potential for new combined heat and power (CHP) at commercial and industrial facilities; achieving 25 percent of this remaining technical potential could reduce CO2 emissions by 4 percent below 2011 levels by 2020.
• Improving the efficiency of existing coal-fired power plants through refurbishment and better operation and maintenance practices could reduce CO2 emissions by 1 percent below 2011 levels by 2020.

APA

World Resources Institute (n.d.). Power Sector Opportunities: Reducing Carbon Dioxide Emissions in Michigan. https://www.wri.org/research/power-sector-opportunities-reducing-carbon-dioxide-emissions-michigan

Chicago

World Resources Institute. Power Sector Opportunities: Reducing Carbon Dioxide Emissions in Michigan. n.d. https://www.wri.org/research/power-sector-opportunities-reducing-carbon-dioxide-emissions-michigan.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=World Resources Institute |title=Power Sector Opportunities: Reducing Carbon Dioxide Emissions in Michigan |url=https://www.wri.org/research/power-sector-opportunities-reducing-carbon-dioxide-emissions-michigan |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{worldresourcesinstitutendpower, author = {{World Resources Institute}}, title = {{Power Sector Opportunities: Reducing Carbon Dioxide Emissions in Michigan}}, institution = {World Resources Institute}, url = {https://www.wri.org/research/power-sector-opportunities-reducing-carbon-dioxide-emissions-michigan}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }