Clean electricity standards

Tracking clean energy in U.S. states

Many states have taken steps to support clean energy because of its economic benefits, role in reducing air pollution, and its importance for meeting climate goals.

Clean electricity standards

Clean electricity standards (CES) are a dynamic, effective, and technology-neutral tool for advancing clean energy in a way that protects reliability and electricity affordability. A growing number of states have adopted a CES, often in parallel with or as a complement to a renewable portfolio standard (RPS).

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The interactive map allows users to see which states have adopted a CES or an RPS, explore key design elements of each state’s policy, and compare various states’ standards. Searchable design elements in the map include, among others, stringency of the standard, form of the standard, point of regulation, eligible technologies, and compliance tracking.

What is a clean electricity standard?

Clean electricity standards build on existing policies and establish long-term clean energy market signals for the electric power sector. The standards are designed to increase the share of electricity generated from resources with zero or near-zero emissions over time. Federal funding opportunities through the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) and Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) support CES implementation through financial incentives for a wide array of technologies.

While states use a range of terms to describe various policies – clean energy standard, clean electricity standard, alternative energy standard, renewable energy standard – CATF finds that these policies are essentially of two types: a clean electricity standard (CES) or a renewable portfolio standard (RPS).

The difference: An RPS typically only credits renewable sources (e.g., wind, solar, hydropower, and geothermal), while a CES credits a broader suite of technologies (e.g., nuclear energy, clean hydrogen, and fossil generation with carbon capture).

In addition, an RPS is expressed as a percent of required renewable electricity sales from a specific baseline by a target date, whereas a CES is typically expressed as required emission reduction levels or clean electricity sales over time with interim and end-date targets.

Clean electricity standards help spur clean energy investment

This report provides policymakers and other stakeholders with a summary of CES benefits, describes CES policy design choices, and highlights considerations for designing a CES to meet state priorities. It also discusses how a CES interacts with other energy policies and how financial incentives from the Inflation Reduction Act and Bipartisan Infrastructure Law make adoption of a state CES even more appealing.

View the report

Dive Deeper

State electricity portfolio standards

These fact sheets provide a deeper dive into state clean electricity standards and renewable portfolio standards. Users can access them here or through the map.

Renewable Energy Standard