>>512472792Yes, renewable energy systems require resources to build, including rare earth elements, lithium, cobalt, and large amounts of steel and concrete—particularly for wind turbines and solar panels. But so do fossil fuel plants, especially when you account for the entire infrastructure required for drilling, pipelines, refineries, and long-term environmental remediation. The claim that renewable energy is "too unreliable" to provide baseload power oversimplifies a complex issue. Wind and solar are intermittent, meaning they don't produce power at a constant rate, but they can and do contribute to baseload power when combined with energy storage, grid interconnection, demand response, and complementary generation sources (like hydro or nuclear).
As for capital expenditures (CAPEX), renewables do require upfront investment, but their long-term operating costs are extremely low, and costs for both solar, wind, and battery storage have fallen dramatically over the past decade. In fact, new solar and wind are now cheaper than building new fossil fuel plants in most regions, even when factoring in backup and storage. The energy transition isn't about "doubling up" infrastructure—it’s about shifting it toward cleaner, more sustainable sources over time. The idea that renewables are “fake” is just flatly false: they currently provide over 20% of U.S. electricity and much more in countries like Denmark or Norway, all with real, functioning grids.