ELI5: Why is renewable energy clean?

Renewable energy is clean because it doesn't pollute the air or water like burning fossil fuels does.

Imagine you have two toys: a battery-powered car and a toy train that runs on coal.

• The battery-powered car is like renewable energy (solar, wind, water). When you use it, the battery might eventually need recharging, but it doesn't make any smoke or yucky stuff. It's powered by something that naturally refills – like the sun recharging the battery.
• The coal-powered train is like fossil fuels (coal, oil, gas). When you burn the coal to make the train go, it puffs out black smoke. That smoke pollutes the air and makes it dirty.

Renewable energy sources, like solar panels on your roof, don't make that kind of smoke. They use the sun's light to make electricity. Wind turbines use the wind to make electricity, and hydroelectric dams use the power of flowing water. These things are always there and don’t create pollution while making energy.

So, just like the battery car is cleaner than the coal train, renewable energy is cleaner than fossil fuels because it doesn't make the air and water dirty. Using renewable energy is like choosing to play with the battery car to keep the air clean for everyone!