Per a 2024 report by the International Energy Agency, “Although renewable energy technologies are becoming more cost-competitive, policies remain key for attracting investment and enabling deployment. Roughly 87% of global renewable utility-scale capacity growth in 2023–2028 is expected to be stimulated by policy schemes. Policy-driven deployment refers to capacity for which a government policy is the primary driver for the investment decision.” Because renewables like wind and solar only generate energy when the wind is blowing or the sun is shining, these sources must be backed-up by other energy sources that can generate electricity on demand, like natural gas power plants. These hidden costs often make wind and solar significantly more expensive than other sources of energy unless governments intervene with mandates, subsidies, or disproportionate taxes on competing sources.