Clean-energy policies and electricity sector carbon emissions in the U.S. states

• This study evaluates state clean energy policies.
• RPS and EERS are negatively correlated with electricity carbon intensity.
• More aggressive policies are needed to reduce total carbon emissions.

State governments in the United States have enacted various clean-energy policies to decarbonize electric utilities, diversify energy supplies, and stimulate economic development. With a panel data set for 48 continental states from 1990 to 2008, fixed-effect panel regressions are estimated to test the impacts of clean-energy policies on total carbon emissions, electricity consumption, and carbon intensity. The results indicate that supply-side policy tools, such as RPS and EERS, are negatively correlated with carbon intensity in the electricity sector. More aggressive policies are needed to reduce total carbon emissions.