There is widespread consensus that increasing the use of renewable energy is a key component of any strategy and plan for addressing climate change. What is less known is that many renewable energy options provide power on an intermittent and variable basis or do not deliver power at times of peak demand – when the demand for power is greatest and the emissions can be higher than average. By using smart grid technologies, and smart grid practices like demand response, the electricity system can accept and manage the amount of renewable energy that policymakers and the renewable energy industry desire and expect to be developed.