Base load power - two sides?

I hear some expect renewables to come racing through & save the day, little I read drills down into the how / why / when & the pro's & con's?

To my mind little is talked about renewables re: Environment on:

Extraction pollution costs re: activity/ power supply & land reconditioning
Battery storage - pollutants & capacity to recycle cleanly
When the SUN goes down, the battery storage required must be huge, I'm not aware re: no bank of batteries yet comes close to filling this gap?

Also, all theses solar panels around Australia - what's the environmental costs removing, replacing, disposing these? There needs to be more environmental talk/science about the life cycle of "renewable", supposedly clean energy!


Gas plants can be produced which emit lower pollution - not sure what restraints are on power suppliers to comply?

I expect gas has a major role to play over the next 10, 20 to 30 years while renewables develop & come of age!

Many have highlighted a GAS shortage will be upon us from 2023 - can renewables jump in & fill the gap - make up your own mind - I expect GAS has a big role to play as we transition towards 2050!