The Big Misconception About Clean Energy

No, there should never have been any msconception except maybe to non-technical lay people.
People are asked to conserve for a few main reasons...
- Where electrical generation is mainly by fossil fuels, it's to decrease costs related to the volaile cost of natural gas and oil
- Where electrical generation is mainly by coal, it's to decrease the waste that contaminates the air and causes climate change
- Where the electrical grid is decrepit, the grid needs to be continuously balanced. When the grid is under heavy load, the grid can fail if demand isn't decreased.

Yes, all of that can be remedied by simply transitioninng to Green energy sources and many areas have done so. The state of California for instance has largely transitioned and seems now to be focusing on energy storage to more efficiently provide energy through generation peaks and valleys. Texas is largely powered by wind generation today despite its enormous oil refining capacity. The Pacific NW has always been largely powered by hydro. Everywhere else in the US and particularly in the Southeast has a very long way to go and in fact are still actively doing everything wrong including burning coal and building nuclear power plants (creating a radioactive storage problem every 30 years or so).

Similarly around the globe you'll see a patchwork of forword looking countries and near-sighted countries. The EU for instance should have limited sympathy as it's blackmailed by Russia during the Ukraine crisis because its predicament is of its own making, sacrificing energy independence in favor of immediate profits. China has an enormous energy problem so is simultaneously the world's leader in Green energy generation as well as burning dirty coal. When its capacity is enough to support its population, China promises to transition to Green entirely.

So basically and especially in the US, if you're concerned about the cost of energy and at the gas pump, you should consider moving to a more progressive thinking state that lays the groundwork for a better future instead of living in a state that is willing to poison you and leave you vulnerable to energy price hikes. Or, vote the regressive leaders of your state out of office.