Wind and solar surpass gas generation for the first time
New data from global energy think tank Ember has found that when combined, wind and solar generated more electricity than gas globally for the first month ever in April 2026. The two renewables generated 22% of global electricity in April, compared with 20% for gas.
Wind and solar generated more electricity than gas globally for the first month ever in April 2026, according to data analysed by global energy think tank Ember. Together, wind and solar generated 22% of global electricity in April 2026, compared with 20% from gas. In total the two renewables produced a record 531 TWh of electricity last month, 54 TWh more than gas generation which was recorded at 477 TWh. Compare these figures with just five years ago, where gas generation stood at a similar level (476 TWh) in April 2021, but was nearly double the combined generation from wind and solar (245 TWh).
Notably this milestone for renewable energy generation occurred during the first full month of the global energy crisis linked to the conflict in the Middle East. The researchers at Ember argue that this highlights how rapidly the growth in wind and solar generation is reshaping the global power mix, even amid fossil fuel market volatility. In addition, the data shows no evidence of widespread gas-to-coal switching globally, despite ongoing energy security concerns. Global Electricity Analyst at Ember, Kostantsa Rangelova, commented:
“Countries around the world have been turning to wind and solar because they are cheap, homegrown and secure sources of electricity. The current energy crisis has further strengthened the economic case for renewables compared to imported gas, while also adding greater political urgency to accelerate deployment. For many importing countries, LNG-powered electricity is increasingly unable to compete with wind and solar.”[i]
Ember do stress that at present, wind and solar have only overtaken gas for a single month, with April always set to be the most likely candidate for this milestone to occur. This is due to spring conditions in the northern hemisphere (where most global solar capacity is concentrated) which typically combine strong wind output with rising solar generation. At the same time, electricity demand is often reduced between the heating and cooling seasons, meaning gas generation tends to be lower than in most other months of the year.
Regardless, it marks a positive step for renewable energy generation and follows on from a record setting 2025, during which 692GW of renewable capacity was added. Research from the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) published in March, states that capacity additions grew by 15.5% year on year in 2025. The researchers found that total renewable power capacity reached 5,149 gigawatts (GW) after a record 692 GW were added in just 12 months. Growth was largely driven by solar, with the technology contributing 511GW (almost 75% of the total renewable capacity added in 2025), reinforcing its position as the world’s leading renewable source. Wind energy saw the second largest additions at 159 GW, up 14% year on year with China accounting for nearly three-quarters of the expansion. Together, solar and wind accounted for 96.8% of all net renewable additions last year, reflecting the biggest cost decrease among all renewable technologies.
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