Power Sector Opportunities: Reducing Carbon Dioxide Emissions in Michigan

A World Resources Institute (WRI) fact sheet analyzing how Michigan can utilize existing state policies and infrastructure to reduce power sector CO2 emissions and meet future U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) standards.

• WRI analysis indicates that Michigan is capable of reducing its CO2 emissions by 33 percent below 2011 levels by the year 2020 by leveraging existing infrastructure and state policies, a result that would meet or exceed stringent EPA standards for existing power plants.
• Meeting the state's renewable energy standard (RPS), which mandates that 10 percent of electricity sold in Michigan come from renewable sources by 2015, through in-state generation could lower CO2 emissions by 8 percent below 2011 levels by 2020.
• Infrastructure opportunities for emission reductions include increasing the capacity factor of combined cycle natural gas (NGCC) units from 24 percent in 2011 to 75 percent, which would reduce CO2 emissions by 7 percent below 2011 levels by 2020.
• Michigan has a total potential of 8 gigawatts for combined heat and power (CHP), including existing capacity, with nearly 5 gigawatts of new potential. Utilizing 25 percent of the remaining technical potential for CHP 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 result in a 1 percent reduction in CO2 emissions 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} }