Wind and solar power are considered the future of electrical generation methods, and most people realize that there will be a greater shift away from fossil fuels to renewables over time, simply because of the decline of resources that cause an increase in prices. Essentially, there are two different things that cause the prices of each type of power generation method to change: Fossil fuels are tied to the price of the fuel source itself, and renewables are tied to the cost of the equipment.

Fossil fuels are burned to produce electricity for public consumption. The prices paid are made up of transportation and human costs, but also include the cost of extracting or purchasing fuel sources. As supplies shrink, either naturally or because political negotiations become tense, the price rises. Renewable energy is produced from fuel sources that have no cost, and the main production costs are made up of the replacement of the technological equipment necessary to produce energy effectively.

A little known fact about renewable energy production is that it is closely related to lightning and surge protection equipment. Solar panels and wind turbines used in production methods are targets of lightning strikes and the damage they cause. While this damage is hard to avoid, surge related damage can actually be avoided by using industrial grade SPDs. The overvoltage produced by the lightning itself travels through the power lines that connect the panel or turbine to the technologically advanced equipment, and can be avoided if it is prevented from reaching the equipment itself. This is accomplished by a relatively standard procedure for breaking that connection, much like what happens in a house using a power strip. This protection method is problematic for renewable energy production, as it shuts down the system during peak hours of potential production when the power source is available. If there is the possibility of extending the times that the systems were online, then the prices that it costs to produce the energy are reduced. The latest surge protection methods allow systems to remain online even after an instance occurs, allowing them to produce power as long as there is a source of wind or sun. As these technologies improve, we should see the cost come down to the point where renewables are cheaper than fossil fuels, effectively ending the debate between the two.