Illinois

26-28% by 2025

Relative to 2005 levels

Illinois' Constitution states:

“SECTION 1. PUBLIC POLICY - LEGISLATIVE RESPONSIBILITY. The public policy of the State and the duty of each person is to provide and maintain a healthful environment for the benefit of this and future generations. The General Assembly shall provide by law for the implementation and enforcement of this public policy.

SECTION 2. RIGHTS OF INDIVIDUALS. Each person has the right to a healthful environment. Each person may enforce this right against any party, governmental or private, through appropriate legal proceedings subject to reasonable limitation and regulation as the General Assembly may provide by law.”

"Environmental justice communities" are the 25% highest scoring census block groups based on factors including environmental hazards, income, race, health, and other environmental and socioeconomic criteria used by the U.S. EPA's EJScreen; communities are also able to request self-designation as an EJ community.

Illinois EPA EJ Start

At least 25% of Illinois Solar for All funding must be allocated to projects within EJ communities.

At least 45% of transportation electrification funding must be directed to environmental justice communities.

Illinois EPA – EJ Coordinator

Illinois EPA – Office of Environmental Justice

Commission on Environmental Justice

Justice40 Oversight Committee

Energy Transition Workforce Commission

Illinois Finance Authority Climate Bank and the Clean Energy Jobs and Justice Fund

100% zero-carbon power by 2045 | 100% clean energy by 2050

Renewable Energy Access Plan

Illinois received a B grade from Freeing the Grid.

Illinois has an active community choice aggregation program.

The Illinois Climate and Equitable Jobs Act directed the Illinois Commerce Commision (ICC) to establish 2032 storage procurement targets for all utilities serving >200,000 customers by 2022. In 2022, the ICC stated setting these targets was not realistic.

The ICC is required to plan for the procurement of no more than 1,500 megawatts (MW) of battery energy storage. The ICC recommends procuring 1,038 MW by 2025 and 3 gigawatts (GW) of installed storage by 2030.

The statewide energy code for residential construction is 2021 IECC with amendments.

The statewide energy code for commercial building construction is 2021 IECC with amendments.

The 2023 Illinois Stretch Codes incorporates 2021 IECC with amendments for residential buildings and 2024 IECC for commerical buildings.

The 2025 Illinois Stretch Energy Code is currently under development.

Electric utilities are required to achieve cumulative persisting annual savings of 21.5% by 2030 for utilities serving more than 3,000,000 retail customers, and cumulative persisting annual savings of 16% by 2030 for utilities serving between 500,000 and 3,000,000 retail customers. Savings are relative to average consumption over 2014-2016.

Gas utilities are required to achieve annual energy savings of 1.5% each year.

Illinois has enacted commercial PACE-enabling legislation and has active programs.

The Illinois Electric Vehicle (EV) Rebate Program offers rebates for new and used EVs: up to $4,000 for all-electric vehicles and $1,500 for all-electric motorcycles.

The Fleet Electrification Incentive Program provides grants for the purchase of electric trucks, ranging from $7,500 to $120,000 depending on vehicle class. Grant amounts increase by an additional 65% of the base incentive amount for the purchase of a school bus that will serve a public school district.

Requires the state to develop and implement a program for the procurement of zero emissions vehicles for the state fleet

Requires that new residential buildings with designated parking spaces have EV charging capabilities; each residential unit with a designated parking spot is required to have at least one parking space that is EV-capable.

The Illinois EPA is directed to provide funding, consistent with Illinois Commerce Commission-approved utility Beneficial Electrification Plans, to public and private organizations and companies to install and maintain publicly-available Level 2 or Level 3 charging stations. Up to 80% of the cost of the installation of charging stations may be funded.

Food waste ban – In counties with composting facilities, permanent large event facilities with a capacity of at least 3,500 people, such as convention centers and sports stadiums, must offer food and organic waste composting.

The Sustainable Agriculture Grants Program provides grants to implement conservation practices that reduce soil loss and improve soil health.

The Cover Crop Premium Discount Program offers premium discounts to promote additional acres of cover crops that are not covered by other state and federal program incentives.

Funds in the Partners for Conservation Fund and the Partners for Conservation Projects Fund may be used to provide capacity grants to support soil and water conservation districts in implementing soil health programs.

The Illinois Healthy Soils Initiative promotes voluntary and incentive-based soil health efforts.

Funds in the Partners for Conservation Fund and the Partners for Conservation Projects Fund may be used to provide capacity grants to support soil and water conservation districts in implementing soil health programs.