Sunlight, wind, and running water are essentially “free.” Yet renewable energy sources are a very small part of our energy consumption. Why is this? Explain.

Answer 1

Many countries use much more renewable energy than the United States.

https://www.climatecouncil.org.au/11-countries-leading-the-charge-on-renewable-energy

http://www.businessinsider.com/maps-these-countries-use-the-most-non-renewable-energy-resources-2014-6

Many reasons are given for why the U.S. doesn't use more renewable energy. I think that primarily, the big money is invested in nonrenewables.

https://www.google.com/search?source=hp&ei=mAYHW-f-M6Tx5gK2mqqgDA&q=why+doesn%27t+the+u.s.+use+more+renewable+energy&oq=why+doesn%27t+the+U.S.+use+more+renew&gs_l=psy-ab.1.1.33i21k1j33i160k1.1611.20819.0.30257.36.29.0.6.6.0.154.3630.0j29.29.0....0...1c.1.64.psy-ab..1.33.3443.0..0j35i39k1j0i131k1j0i20i264k1j0i67k1j0i20i263k1j0i22i30k1j0i22i10i30k1j33i22i29i30k1.0.dLdpZV5DrjQ