How Illinois Can Meet Its Clean Power Plan Targets

This fact sheet by the World Resources Institute outlines strategies for Illinois to meet emission standards under the Clean Power Plan (CPP) by leveraging energy efficiency, renewable energy, and operational improvements to power plants.

• Illinois can achieve its emission targets through four primary actions: removing the spending cap on the energy efficiency standard to meet savings targets of 2 percent annually starting in 2015; ensuring alternative compliance payments from retail electric suppliers increase renewable energy investment; increasing the use of combined cycle natural gas plants to 75 percent (up from 18 percent in 2013); and adopting best practices and low-cost operational improvements at coal plants.
• By increasing the renewable energy standard to 35 percent of state sales by 2030 and targeting approximately 20 percent cumulative energy savings by the end of 2025, Illinois could reduce CO2 emissions by 76 percent below 2012 levels by 2030.
• The state could generate over $300 million in annual revenue from out-of-state sources between 2022 and 2030 if it surpasses its CPP targets and emission allowances trade at $10 per short ton, provided it adopts a market-based carbon pricing program.
• Energy efficiency is identified as a highly cost-effective tool for emission reductions, with the state's efficiency standard projected to save customers more than $1 billion annually by 2025.

APA

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

Chicago

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

Wikipedia

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