Clean Energy Policy Tracker
NRRI State Policies Tracker: Clean Energy and Climate Change Policies
Many states have adopted policies intended to meet commitments to achieve major progress towards greenhouse gas emissions reductions, and growth in the use of clean and renewable energy.
This map summarizes those state policies that have been formalized by legislative and executive branch actions to date. The table shown below the map lists each jurisdiction’s decisions that are summarized in the map
Sources for map: Climate commitments data from United States Climate Alliance, Inventory of Climate and Clean Energy Policies—Policies by State [Web page, reporting 2019 status of states]. District of Columbia data from: DC Department of Energy & Environment, Climate Action Planning [Web page], and Code of the District of Columbia, §34–1432 – Renewable energy portfolio standard. EE goals or standards from American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy, Energy Efficiency Resource Standards [Web page]. RPS/CEPS data from North Carolina Clean Energy Technology Center, Database of State Incentives for Renewables & Efficiency, Renewable Portfolio Standards and Clean Energy Standards
Summary:
- Thirteen jurisdictions have goals that include both: (1) at least 75% reductions in greenhouse gas emissions, and (2) at least 75% of electricity production from renewable or combined renewable and clean energy production, by not later than 2050. Those states are designated with green shading plus green squares or circles on the map.
- States with renewable or clean energy portfolio standards but not greenhouse gas standards are indicated on the map with yellow shading. Four of those, indicated by blue squares, have the goal of achieving 100% renewable or combined renewable and clean electricity by 2050 or sooner.
- Many of the state goals address not only electricity production and use, but also include transportation fuels and heating fuels.
In addition, hundreds of cities and dozens of the world’s largest corporations, including fossil fuel companies and major U.S. utility companies, have made similar GHG and renewable energy commitments.
Climate Watch, managed by the World Resources Institute, tracks up-to-date information about countries that have adopted net-zero emissions goals, by law or policy. By year-end 2020, Climate Watch reports 44 countries, representing 14.5% of global GHG emissions, have adopted net-zero emissions goals by law or policy. Those countries are primarily located in Central and South America and in Europe, plus South Korea and Japan and a few Pacific Island countries. https://www.climatewatchdata.org/net-zero-tracker
Jurisdiction |
GHG Policy |
RPS/CEPS Policy |
Arizona |
Corporation Commission vote to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050; 50% by 2032; 75% by 2040. |
15% by 2025 |
California |
Carbon neutral by 2045 |
100% for retail electricity sales, by 2045 |
Colorado |
90% by 2050 |
100% by 2040 |
Connecticut |
80% below 2001 levels by 2050 |
100% by 2040 |
Delaware |
26-28% below 2005 levels by 2025 |
25% by 2026 |
District of Columbia |
80% below 2006 levels by 2050 |
80% by 2029; 100% by 2023 |
Hawaii |
Carbon neutral by 2045 |
100% by 2045 |
Illinois |
|
“Path towards 100%” Governor’s Plan |
Maine |
80% below 1990 levels by 2050 |
80% by 2030 (goal of 100% by 2050) |
Maryland |
2016 Greenhouse Gas Reduction Act requires 40% below 2006 levels by 2030. |
50% by 2030 |
Massachusetts |
At least 80% below 1990 levels by 2050 |
RPS of 35% by 2030 plus 1% per year thereafter; CEPS total 80% by 2050 |
Michigan |
Carbon neutral by 2050 <link> |
35% RPS+CEPS by 2025 |
Minnesota |
80% below 2005 levels by 2050 |
~30% by 2020 (for IOUs, differs by utility) |
Montana |
Net-zero for average annual electric loads by 2035. Net-zero economy wide “over the long-term.” |
|
Nevada |
Net-zero or near-zero by 2050 |
50% by 2030 (target); 100% carbon-free by 2050 (goal) |
New Jersey |
80% below 2006 levels by 2050 |
50% by 2030 (target); 100% clean energy by 2050 (Governor’s goal) |
New Mexico |
45% below 2005 levels by 2030 |
80% clean energy by 2040 for IOUs and by 2050 for cooperatives |
New York |
Net-zero by 2050 |
70% renewable by 2030, zero-carbon by 2040 |
North Carolina |
40% below 2005 levels by 2025 |
12.5% by 2021 for IOUs |
Oregon |
75% below 1990 levels by 2050 |
50% by 2040 for large utilities |
Pennsylvania |
80% below 2005 levels by 2050 |
18% by 2021 |
Puerto Rico |
50% within the next five years |
100% by 2050 |
Rhode Island |
80% below 1990 levels by 2050 |
38.5% by 2030; 100% by 2030 (goal) |
Vermont |
80-95% below 1990 levels by 2050 |
55% tier one renewables by 2017; 75% by 2032 |
Virginia |
|
100% carbon-free by 2050 |
Washington |
50% below 1990 levels by 2050; State Dept. of Ecology “recommends” 80% by 2050. |
100% carbon neutral by 2030; 100% clean energy by 2045 |
Wisconsin |
|
Governor’s goal for 100% zero-carbon electricity by 2050 |