Buildings and Efficiency

Clean Heat Standards

A clean heat standard is a flexible policy tool that can require energy companies and heating appliance manufacturers to provide lower-emission heating services. These can include incrementally increasing emission reduction targets, performance-based targets, or more specific measures like mandating equipment manufacturers to sell a certain percentage of heat pumps each year. Clean heat standards encompass many different methods to deliver clean heating systems and can be tailored to the state-specific context and policymakers’ goals.

Request Policy Assistance

Glossary of Terms

States with Policy Enacted

In Progress

Partially Enacted

See States List

Key Resources

Glossary of Terms

Clean Heat Standards: Foundations, Policy Mechanisms, and Recent Developments

A journal article that provides an introduction to CHS, their design features, implementation approaches, and potential synergies with other policy instruments. The analysis focuses on CHSs role in complementing fossil fuel phaseout policies, accelerating market transformation, and addressing key barriers

2025

Source:

Environmental Change Institute

Clean heat standards handbook

A toolkit for lawmakers on what to consider when designing clean heat standards.

2024

Source:

Regulatory Assistance Project

A Comparison of Clean Heat Standards: Current Progress and Key Elements

A report that provides an overview of the potential elements of a clean heat standard and the current status of state policy implementation.

2024

Source:

Environmental Defense Fund

Model States

Glossary of Terms

Colorado

The state requires gas distribution utilities to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions 4% by 2025 and 22% by 2030, relative to 2015 levels.

2021

Establishing Policies

SB21-264 (2021)

Vermont

Required by state legislation, the Vermont Public Utility Commission developed and submitted draft rules for a Clean Heat Standard to the Vermont General Assembly in January 2025, which required legislative approval to finalize the rules. The legislature did not approve the rules, and the PUC closed the case in February 2026.

The PUC noted that, while feasible, a clean heat standard may not be well-suited for Vermont because of its regulatory complexity, and offered possible alternatives to lawmakers, including a fuel tax on heating fuels to subsidize existing thermal efficiency programs.

2023

Establishing Policies

Glossary of Terms

Filters

Status	State Sort descending	Region	Year Enacted
Not Enacted	Alabama Empty column Clean heat standards establish a performance standard requiring heat providers to deliver a gradually-increasing percentage of low-emission heating services to customers. Empty column	Southeast
Not Enacted	Alaska Empty column Clean heat standards establish a performance standard requiring heat providers to deliver a gradually-increasing percentage of low-emission heating services to customers. Empty column	West
Not Enacted	Arizona Empty column Clean heat standards establish a performance standard requiring heat providers to deliver a gradually-increasing percentage of low-emission heating services to customers. Empty column	Southwest
Not Enacted	Arkansas Empty column Clean heat standards establish a performance standard requiring heat providers to deliver a gradually-increasing percentage of low-emission heating services to customers. Empty column	Southeast
Not Enacted	California Empty column Clean heat standards establish a performance standard requiring heat providers to deliver a gradually-increasing percentage of low-emission heating services to customers. Empty column	West
Enacted	Colorado Empty column The state requires gas distribution utilities to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions 4% by 2025 and 22% by 2030, relative to 2015 levels. Establishing Policies SB21-264 (2021) Empty column	West	2021
Not Enacted	Connecticut Empty column Clean heat standards establish a performance standard requiring heat providers to deliver a gradually-increasing percentage of low-emission heating services to customers. Empty column	Northeast
Not Enacted	Delaware Empty column Clean heat standards establish a performance standard requiring heat providers to deliver a gradually-increasing percentage of low-emission heating services to customers. Empty column	Southeast
Not Enacted	Florida Empty column Clean heat standards establish a performance standard requiring heat providers to deliver a gradually-increasing percentage of low-emission heating services to customers. Empty column	Southeast
Not Enacted	Georgia Empty column Clean heat standards establish a performance standard requiring heat providers to deliver a gradually-increasing percentage of low-emission heating services to customers. Empty column	Southeast
Not Enacted	Hawai‘i Empty column Clean heat standards establish a performance standard requiring heat providers to deliver a gradually-increasing percentage of low-emission heating services to customers. Empty column	West
Not Enacted	Idaho Empty column Clean heat standards establish a performance standard requiring heat providers to deliver a gradually-increasing percentage of low-emission heating services to customers. Empty column	West
Not Enacted	Illinois Empty column Clean heat standards establish a performance standard requiring heat providers to deliver a gradually-increasing percentage of low-emission heating services to customers. Empty column	Midwest
Not Enacted	Indiana Empty column Clean heat standards establish a performance standard requiring heat providers to deliver a gradually-increasing percentage of low-emission heating services to customers. Empty column	Midwest
Not Enacted	Iowa Empty column Clean heat standards establish a performance standard requiring heat providers to deliver a gradually-increasing percentage of low-emission heating services to customers. Empty column	Midwest
Not Enacted	Kansas Empty column Clean heat standards establish a performance standard requiring heat providers to deliver a gradually-increasing percentage of low-emission heating services to customers. Empty column	Midwest
Not Enacted	Kentucky Empty column Clean heat standards establish a performance standard requiring heat providers to deliver a gradually-increasing percentage of low-emission heating services to customers. Empty column	Southeast
Not Enacted	Louisiana Empty column Clean heat standards establish a performance standard requiring heat providers to deliver a gradually-increasing percentage of low-emission heating services to customers. Empty column	Southeast
Not Enacted	Maine Empty column Clean heat standards establish a performance standard requiring heat providers to deliver a gradually-increasing percentage of low-emission heating services to customers. Empty column	Northeast
In-Progress	Maryland Empty column The Maryland Department of the Environment is required to propose a clean heat standard regulation. Establishing Policies Executive Order 01.01.2024.19 (2024) Empty column	Southeast	2024
In-Progress	Massachusetts Empty column MassDEP is developing CHS regulations based on the CHS framework released in November 2023. In January 2026, MassDEP pushed implementation of a Clean Heat Standard to 2028. Establishing Policies Massachusetts Clean Heat Standard Empty column	Northeast
Not Enacted	Michigan Empty column Clean heat standards establish a performance standard requiring heat providers to deliver a gradually-increasing percentage of low-emission heating services to customers. Empty column	Midwest
Not Enacted	Minnesota Empty column Clean heat standards establish a performance standard requiring heat providers to deliver a gradually-increasing percentage of low-emission heating services to customers. Empty column	Midwest
Not Enacted	Mississippi Empty column Clean heat standards establish a performance standard requiring heat providers to deliver a gradually-increasing percentage of low-emission heating services to customers. Empty column	Southeast
Not Enacted	Missouri Empty column Clean heat standards establish a performance standard requiring heat providers to deliver a gradually-increasing percentage of low-emission heating services to customers. Empty column	Midwest
Not Enacted	Montana Empty column Clean heat standards establish a performance standard requiring heat providers to deliver a gradually-increasing percentage of low-emission heating services to customers. Empty column	West
Not Enacted	Nebraska Empty column Clean heat standards establish a performance standard requiring heat providers to deliver a gradually-increasing percentage of low-emission heating services to customers. Empty column	Midwest
Not Enacted	Nevada Empty column Clean heat standards establish a performance standard requiring heat providers to deliver a gradually-increasing percentage of low-emission heating services to customers. Empty column	West
Not Enacted	New Hampshire Empty column Clean heat standards establish a performance standard requiring heat providers to deliver a gradually-increasing percentage of low-emission heating services to customers. Empty column	Northeast
Not Enacted	New Jersey Empty column Clean heat standards establish a performance standard requiring heat providers to deliver a gradually-increasing percentage of low-emission heating services to customers. Empty column	Northeast
Not Enacted	New Mexico Empty column Clean heat standards establish a performance standard requiring heat providers to deliver a gradually-increasing percentage of low-emission heating services to customers. Empty column	Southwest
Not Enacted	New York Empty column Clean heat standards establish a performance standard requiring heat providers to deliver a gradually-increasing percentage of low-emission heating services to customers. Empty column	Northeast
Not Enacted	North Carolina Empty column Clean heat standards establish a performance standard requiring heat providers to deliver a gradually-increasing percentage of low-emission heating services to customers. Empty column	Southeast
Not Enacted	North Dakota Empty column Clean heat standards establish a performance standard requiring heat providers to deliver a gradually-increasing percentage of low-emission heating services to customers. Empty column	Midwest
Not Enacted	Ohio Empty column Clean heat standards establish a performance standard requiring heat providers to deliver a gradually-increasing percentage of low-emission heating services to customers. Empty column	Midwest
Not Enacted	Oklahoma Empty column Clean heat standards establish a performance standard requiring heat providers to deliver a gradually-increasing percentage of low-emission heating services to customers. Empty column	Southwest
Not Enacted	Oregon Empty column Clean heat standards establish a performance standard requiring heat providers to deliver a gradually-increasing percentage of low-emission heating services to customers. Empty column	West
Not Enacted	Pennsylvania Empty column Clean heat standards establish a performance standard requiring heat providers to deliver a gradually-increasing percentage of low-emission heating services to customers. Empty column	Northeast
Not Enacted	Rhode Island Empty column Clean heat standards establish a performance standard requiring heat providers to deliver a gradually-increasing percentage of low-emission heating services to customers. Empty column	Northeast
Not Enacted	South Carolina Empty column Clean heat standards establish a performance standard requiring heat providers to deliver a gradually-increasing percentage of low-emission heating services to customers. Empty column	Southeast
Not Enacted	South Dakota Empty column Clean heat standards establish a performance standard requiring heat providers to deliver a gradually-increasing percentage of low-emission heating services to customers. Empty column	Midwest
Not Enacted	Tennessee Empty column Clean heat standards establish a performance standard requiring heat providers to deliver a gradually-increasing percentage of low-emission heating services to customers. Empty column	Southeast
Not Enacted	Texas Empty column Clean heat standards establish a performance standard requiring heat providers to deliver a gradually-increasing percentage of low-emission heating services to customers. Empty column	Southwest
Not Enacted	Utah Empty column Clean heat standards establish a performance standard requiring heat providers to deliver a gradually-increasing percentage of low-emission heating services to customers. Empty column	West
In-Progress	Vermont Empty column Required by state legislation, the Vermont Public Utility Commission developed and submitted draft rules for a Clean Heat Standard to the Vermont General Assembly in January 2025, which required legislative approval to finalize the rules. The legislature did not approve the rules, and the PUC closed the case in February 2026. The PUC noted that, while feasible, a clean heat standard may not be well-suited for Vermont because of its regulatory complexity, and offered possible alternatives to lawmakers, including a fuel tax on heating fuels to subsidize existing thermal efficiency programs. Establishing Policies Act 18 (2023) PUC Report to the legislature with proposed rules (2025) PUC Case No. 23-2220-RULE (2026) Clean Heat Standard Empty column	Northeast	2023
Not Enacted	Virginia Empty column Clean heat standards establish a performance standard requiring heat providers to deliver a gradually-increasing percentage of low-emission heating services to customers. Empty column	Southeast
Not Enacted	Washington Empty column Clean heat standards establish a performance standard requiring heat providers to deliver a gradually-increasing percentage of low-emission heating services to customers. Empty column	West
Not Enacted	West Virginia Empty column Clean heat standards establish a performance standard requiring heat providers to deliver a gradually-increasing percentage of low-emission heating services to customers. Empty column	Southeast
Not Enacted	Wisconsin Empty column Clean heat standards establish a performance standard requiring heat providers to deliver a gradually-increasing percentage of low-emission heating services to customers. Empty column	Midwest
Not Enacted	Wyoming Empty column Clean heat standards establish a performance standard requiring heat providers to deliver a gradually-increasing percentage of low-emission heating services to customers. Empty column	West

Clean Heat Standards

Key Resources

Clean Heat Standards: Foundations, Policy Mechanisms, and Recent Developments

Clean heat standards handbook

A Comparison of Clean Heat Standards: Current Progress and Key Elements

Model States

Colorado

Vermont

Clean Heat Standards By State