The current study investigates the causal relationship between economic growth and renewable energy consumption in the BRICS countries over the period 1971–2010 within a multivariate framework. The ARDL bounds testing approach to cointegration and vector error correction model (VECM) are used to examine the long-run and causal relationships between economic growth, renewable energy consumption, trade openness and carbon dioxide emissions. Empirical evidence shows that, based on the ARDL estimates, there exist long-run equilibrium relationships among the competing variables. Regarding the VECM results, bi-directional Granger causality exists between economic growth and renewable energy consumption, suggesting the feedback hypothesis, which can explain the role of renewable energy in stimulating economic growth in BRICS countries.