Harnessing European policies for energy planning in Illinois: Overcoming barriers and transitioning to a climate-neutral society

Abstract

After signing a new Climate and Equitable Jobs Act legislation in September 2021 and establishing the state of Illinois (USA) as a “national leader on climate action,” the processes of the implementation of this act take the permanent attention of legislators, policymakers, and customers. The shift that this act could potentially provide represents a new technological foundation for both state and municipal energy planning. This article explores the historical context of energy legislation and energy planning in the United States with a focus on the state of Illinois and makes a comparative study with Denmark (European Union) – one of the global leaders in the transition to green energy, an innovator in the sustainability realm. The driving similarity is that both Illinois and Denmark now have the same declared goal – to rely on 100% renewable energy and have a climate-neutral society by 2050. This paper examines two different approaches to energy planning in a broader realm of urban planning in Illinois and Denmark. Municipalities play an important role as local energy planning authorities in the design and implementation of future energy systems, so this article will additionally focus on the two largest municipalities in both territories: Chicago and Copenhagen.