There is widespread scientific support for using renewable energy, particularly solar and wind. These systems provide electricity without giving rise to any carbon dioxide emissions. Harnessing these for electricity depends on the cost and efficiency of the technology, which is constantly improving, thus reducing costs per peak kilowatt and per kWh at the source.

Utilizing electricity from solar and wind in a grid becomes problematic at high levels for complex, yet well-demonstrated reasons: supply does not correspond with demand.

Back-up generating capacity is required due to the intermittent nature of solar and wind. System costs escalate with an increasing proportion of variable renewables.