How Pennsylvania Can Meet Its Clean Power Plan Targets

Pennsylvania can meet or exceed its Clean Power Plan targets by 2030 by expanding its energy efficiency and renewable energy standards, optimizing the operation of existing natural gas and coal plants, and adopting a carbon pricing program. Specifically, increasing the energy efficiency target to 13.2 percent cumulative annual savings and the Tier I alternative energy standard to 18 percent by 2030 could reduce CO2 emissions by 46 percent below 2012 levels. The document highlights that utilizing existing natural gas combined cycle plants at 75 percent capacity, compared to 65 percent in 2013, would further cut emissions.

• Pennsylvania could reduce CO2 emissions by 46 percent below 2012 levels by 2030 by increasing the Tier I alternative energy standard to 18 percent of state sales and raising the energy efficiency target to approximately 13.2 percent cumulative annual savings by 2030.
• The state can achieve further emission reductions by increasing the utilization of existing natural gas combined cycle plants to 75 percent, up from 65 percent in 2013, and by implementing low-cost operational improvements at existing coal plants.
• Implementing a market-based carbon pricing program with an interstate emissions allowance price of $10 per short ton could generate over $160 million in annual revenue for Pennsylvania between 2022 and 2030, provided the state surpasses its Clean Power Plan targets.
• Existing policies include the Act 129 Phase III Program, which targets 3.5 percent cumulative annual savings in 2020, and the Alternative Energy Portfolio Standard (AEPS), which requires 8 percent of electricity sold to be from Tier I renewable sources by 2021.

APA

World Resources Institute (n.d.). How Pennsylvania Can Meet Its Clean Power Plan Targets. https://www.wri.org/research/how-pennsylvania-can-meet-its-clean-power-plan-targets

Chicago

World Resources Institute. How Pennsylvania Can Meet Its Clean Power Plan Targets. n.d. https://www.wri.org/research/how-pennsylvania-can-meet-its-clean-power-plan-targets.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=World Resources Institute |title=How Pennsylvania Can Meet Its Clean Power Plan Targets |url=https://www.wri.org/research/how-pennsylvania-can-meet-its-clean-power-plan-targets |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{worldresourcesinstitutendhow, author = {{World Resources Institute}}, title = {{How Pennsylvania Can Meet Its Clean Power Plan Targets}}, institution = {World Resources Institute}, url = {https://www.wri.org/research/how-pennsylvania-can-meet-its-clean-power-plan-targets}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }