Renewable energy surpassing fossil fuels in U.S. electricity generation is beneficial for the nation's future.

What's this about?

People disagree about whether wind and sun power making more U.S. power than coal and gas helps the future.

Wind and sun power can help a lot, but the nation must plan the change well.

What supporters say

• Wind and sun power can cut dirty air and gases that make Earth warmer.
• Less dirty air can mean fewer health harms, though gains differ from place to place.
• Solar power now costs less than before, which makes new projects easier to build.
• Wind and sun can make the nation less tied to fuel buys and fuel trips.

What critics say

• Wind and sun do not always make power when people need it most.
• The power grid needs more storage, like huge batteries, to save power for later.
• The nation needs new power lines to move power from windy and sunny areas.
• Poor project plans, packed power lines, or bad grid links can raise costs.

The bottom line

The facts suggest that wind and sun power can help the United States.

But the change needs major work on steady power, storage, power lines, and smart project plans.