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.
Key Resources
Clean heat standards handbook
A Comparison of Clean Heat Standards: Current Progress and Key Elements
Model States
Colorado
The state requires gas distribution utilities to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions 4% by 2025 and 22% by 2030, relative to 2015 levels.
Vermont
The Vermont Public Utility Commission submitted draft rules for a Clean Heat Standard to the Vermont General Assembly in January 2025, which now require approval by the legislature to move forward.
In the report, 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.
Clean Heat Standards By State
Status | State Sort descending | Region | Components | Year Enacted | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Not Enacted | Southeast | ||||
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 | |||
Not Enacted | West | ||||
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 | |||
Not Enacted | Southwest | ||||
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 | |||
Not Enacted | Southeast | ||||
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 | |||
Not Enacted | West | ||||
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 | |||
Enacted | West | 2021 | |||
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
| Empty column | ||
Not Enacted | Northeast | ||||
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 | |||
Not Enacted | Southeast | ||||
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 | |||
Not Enacted | Southeast | ||||
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 | |||
Not Enacted | Southeast | ||||
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 | |||
Not Enacted | West | ||||
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 | |||
Not Enacted | West | ||||
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 | |||
Not Enacted | Midwest | ||||
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 | |||
Not Enacted | Midwest | ||||
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 | |||
Not Enacted | Midwest | ||||
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 | |||
Not Enacted | Midwest | ||||
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 | |||
Not Enacted | Southeast | ||||
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 | |||
Not Enacted | Southeast | ||||
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 | |||
Not Enacted | Northeast | ||||
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 | |||
In-Progress | Southeast | 2024 | |||
Empty column | The Maryland Department of the Environment is required to propose a clean heat standard regulation. | Establishing Policies
| Empty column | ||
In-Progress | Northeast | ||||
Empty column | MassDEP is developing CHS regulations based on the CHS framework released in November 2023. | Establishing Policies
| Empty column | ||
Not Enacted | Midwest | ||||
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 | |||
Not Enacted | Midwest | ||||
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 | |||
Not Enacted | Southeast | ||||
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 | |||
Not Enacted | Midwest | ||||
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 | |||
Not Enacted | West | ||||
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 | |||
Not Enacted | Midwest | ||||
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 | |||
Not Enacted | West | ||||
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 | |||
Not Enacted | Northeast | ||||
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 | |||
Not Enacted | Northeast | ||||
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 | |||
Not Enacted | Southwest | ||||
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 | |||
Not Enacted | Northeast | ||||
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 | |||
Not Enacted | Southeast | ||||
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 | |||
Not Enacted | Midwest | ||||
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 | |||
Not Enacted | Midwest | ||||
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 | |||
Not Enacted | Southwest | ||||
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 | |||
Not Enacted | West | ||||
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 | |||
Not Enacted | Northeast | ||||
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 | |||
Not Enacted | Northeast | ||||
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 | |||
Not Enacted | Southeast | ||||
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 | |||
Not Enacted | Midwest | ||||
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 | |||
Not Enacted | Southeast | ||||
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 | |||
Not Enacted | Southwest | ||||
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 | |||
Not Enacted | West | ||||
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 | |||
In-Progress | Northeast | 2023 | |||
Empty column | The Vermont Public Utility Commission submitted draft rules for a Clean Heat Standard to the Vermont General Assembly in January 2025, which now require approval by the legislature to move forward. In the report, 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
| Empty column | ||
Not Enacted | Southeast | ||||
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 | |||
Not Enacted | West | ||||
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 | |||
Not Enacted | Southeast | ||||
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 | |||
Not Enacted | Midwest | ||||
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 | |||
Not Enacted | West | ||||
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 |