Plant-level reductions in dangerous emissions have happened in states with decoupling programs that cut the link between energy revenues and electricity sales volume.
What explains variation in the effectiveness of policies for reducing carbon pollution? Some policies adopted by the states may have been ineffective because they are too vague or insufficiently publicized and enforced. More successful policies tend to have specific, concrete goals that can be objectively measured. Both emissions caps and greenhouse gas targets set goals that give states and plants clear guidelines about what they need to achieve. Approaches that rely on economic incentives can also be effective. For example, the relative success of public benefit funds and decoupling programs suggest that utilities may be more likely to invest in clean energy when they can make more money by selling less electricity.