4 Steps Michigan Can Take To Exceed Its Clean Power Plan Targets

This fact sheet by the World Resources Institute outlines how Michigan can meet and exceed its Clean Power Plan (CPP) emissions targets through existing clean energy policies and operational improvements to power plants.

• Under the Clean Power Plan, the U.S. EPA has mandated that Michigan reduce power sector emissions to 33 percent below 2012 levels by the year 2030.
• Michigan could reduce carbon dioxide emissions from existing power plants to 36 percent below 2012 levels by 2030, exceeding its CPP target by 9 percent, by implementing four specific steps: meeting its energy efficiency resource standard (1 percent annual electricity savings from 2012), meeting its renewable energy standard (10 percent of sales from renewable sources by 2015), increasing the utilization of existing natural gas plants to 75 percent capacity, and improving the efficiency of coal plants through low- and no-cost operational practices.
• Michigan's power plant emissions decreased by 17 percent between 2005 and 2012, driven by lower electricity demand and a shift toward renewables and natural gas. Between 2010 and 2013, the state's renewable energy standard contributed to the addition of nearly 1,000 megawatts of wind capacity, with recent long-term contracts priced approximately 20 percent lower than the average cost of providing electricity in the state.
• The document identifies significant economic benefits from clean energy: energy efficiency programs provided $1 billion in lifecycle savings in 2013 (with a return of $4-$5 for every dollar invested), and the renewable energy standard generated $3 billion in in-state investments. Additionally, by expanding clean energy policies and selling surplus carbon credits at an assumed price of $10 per short ton, Michigan could earn $160 million annually from 2022 to 2030.
• Michigan could nearly double its required emission reductions by increasing its renewable standard to 20 percent of sales by 2022 and raising its efficiency standard to 2 percent of sales starting in 2019, while continuing to improve natural gas and coal plant efficiency.

APA

Gasper, R. (2016). 4 Steps Michigan Can Take To Exceed Its Clean Power Plan Targets. World Resources Institute. https://www.wri.org/insights/4-steps-michigan-can-take-exceed-its-clean-power-plan-targets

Chicago

Gasper, Rebecca. 4 Steps Michigan Can Take To Exceed Its Clean Power Plan Targets. World Resources Institute, 2016. https://www.wri.org/insights/4-steps-michigan-can-take-exceed-its-clean-power-plan-targets.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Gasper |first1=Rebecca |title=4 Steps Michigan Can Take To Exceed Its Clean Power Plan Targets |publisher=World Resources Institute |date=5 January 2016 |url=https://www.wri.org/insights/4-steps-michigan-can-take-exceed-its-clean-power-plan-targets |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{gasper2016steps, author = {Gasper, Rebecca}, title = {{4 Steps Michigan Can Take To Exceed Its Clean Power Plan Targets}}, institution = {World Resources Institute}, year = {2016}, month = jan, url = {https://www.wri.org/insights/4-steps-michigan-can-take-exceed-its-clean-power-plan-targets}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }