Can renewable energy sources replace fossil fuels?

According to renewable energy policy think tank REN21, most barriers to moving out of the fossil fuel age are political rather than practical. Indeed, while a large measure of the responsibility rests with governments to commit to identifying competitive alternatives to fossil fuels, as REN21 puts it, “patience and faith in politicians, who hesitate and waver, is fading.” Hence the growing pressure that constituents and activists, from grassroots organizers to major companies, are placing on them. Major players do seem to be taking note: in the United States, for example, President Joe Biden took executive action to rejoin the Paris Climate Agreement within hours of his inauguration.  Adherence to the commitments set out in the agreement will be a key factor in the move away from fossil fuels toward renewable energy. As the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) reminds us, with the signing of the Paris Climate Agreement in 2016, participating countries “pledged to reduce carbon dioxide (CO₂) and other greenhouse gas emissions, as well as to adapt to the impacts of climate change. By scaling up renewable energy, countries can sharply reduce one major source of the problem: energy-related CO₂ emissions.”