Wind and solar generated more electricity than gas worldwide for the first time in April 2026, according to data analyzed by global energy think tank Ember.
Together, wind and solar produced 22% of global electricity during the month, compared with 20% from gas. Ember said wind and solar generated a record 531 TWh of electricity in April 2026, 54 TWh more than gas generation, which stood at 477 TWh.
The milestone came during the first full month of the latest global energy crisis, triggered by conflict in the Middle East. Ember said the data highlights how rapid growth in wind and solar is reshaping the global electricity mix, even during periods of fossil fuel market volatility.
Five years earlier, in April 2021, gas generation was at a similar level, at 476 TWh. However, combined wind and solar generation at that time was 245 TWh, meaning gas generated nearly twice as much electricity as the two renewable sources combined.
Ember said the April 2026 result was driven by continued strong growth in wind and solar, which rose quickly enough to meet most of the increase in global electricity demand and helped limit growth in gas generation. The analysis also found no evidence of widespread gas-to-coal switching globally, despite ongoing energy security concerns.
Wind and solar output rose across countries that had reported April 2026 data. Globally, generation from the two sources is estimated to have increased by 13% year-on-year.
Ember said the April milestone was part of a longer-term shift towards clean power generation, led by wind and solar. In its Global Electricity Review 2026, the think tank reported that wind and solar met all global electricity demand growth in 2025.
The organization noted that wind and solar have overtaken gas only for a single month, and not yet on an annual basis. April was considered the most likely month for the milestone because spring conditions in the northern hemisphere typically combine strong wind output with rising solar generation, while electricity demand is usually lower between the heating and cooling seasons.
Ember said the analysis was based on reported data from 36 countries, along with conservative estimates for countries yet to publish April 2026 data.
