Renewable Energy has many parts, and some of them can do jobs that others cannot do. It is important to work together to bring the best renewable Energy to the world that we can hope to achieve.
This diagram represents a short overview over different elements of a renewable energy network, and what the different parts can do, and what not.
For example, Hydropower can be both an energy source (flowing water through a turbine) but also a means of energy storage (by keeping the water behind the dam). Renewable Biomass can be stored well, but can also be turned into a renewable source of energy. Batteries can store energy well, but cannot produce energy.
Thoughts, comments, likes :-)
Hydro requires massive destruction of nature. We can do way better than hydro. I live in BC where all my power is hydro. I, and the endangered, keystone species of our local ecosystem would be very happy to see every dam demolished on favour of other actually planet friendly methods.
Industrial scale power requires massive destruction of nature. That's the nature of trying to light and heat millions of homes, especially in the winter. The question must become what is the least harmful most effective thing to do. It isn't as simple as "solar farms and wind farms" since you have to heat and light those homes when the sun isn't shining and the wind isn't blowing. "Batteries!" Sure but the environmental devastation from having to build battery banks that large would be overwhelming, not to mention having to size your solar and wind to provide all the province's power while the sun shines and wind blows meaning there'd be way more than you expect, and then after 30 years you'd have to do it all over again because the batteries, windmills, and solar panels would all have to be replaced.
Water looks nice when it's at a scale that can't power anything too. In fact, even small enough scale fossil fuels don't look that bad. The problem is when you make it big enough to actually provide all the energy you need. One big reason why "reduce" is the most important thing we can do.