Wind and Solar Generate More Electricity Than Gas Worldwide for the First Time, Ember Data Shows
In April 2026, wind and solar produced 531 TWh globally versus gas's 477 TWh — the first month ever that renewables topped gas in global electricity generation.
Overview
For the first time in recorded history, wind and solar power generated more electricity worldwide than natural gas in a single calendar month. According to analysis published by British energy think tank Ember, wind and solar produced a combined 531 terawatt-hours (TWh) of electricity globally in April 2026, compared with 477 TWh from gas-fired power plants — a margin of 54 TWh — as reported by Electrek. Together, the two clean sources accounted for 22% of world electricity generation during the month, while gas contributed 20%.
What We Know
The milestone in numbers. Ember’s data shows that wind and solar output in April 2026 was more than double the 245 TWh they generated in April 2021 — a period when gas generation stood at 476 TWh, essentially the same level it holds today. In five years, gas generation gained barely a terawatt-hour while wind and solar added 286 TWh, according to Electrek.
A broad-based expansion. The year-on-year growth of 13% in combined wind and solar output was not concentrated in a single market. According to Electrek, China led with 14% growth, the European Union added 13%, and the United Kingdom posted 35%. The United States grew 8%, Australia 17%, Chile 24%, and Brazil 4%.
Context from Ember’s analyst. Kostantsa Rangelova, global electricity analyst at Ember, said: “Countries around the world have been turning to wind and solar because they are cheap, homegrown, and secure sources of electricity,” as quoted by Electrek.
LNG under pressure. The milestone coincides with a geopolitical energy crisis that has tightened liquefied natural gas supply. In the United Kingdom alone, record wind and solar output avoided gas imports worth £1.7 billion since the start of the Iran war, equivalent to roughly 34 tankers of LNG and 41 TWh of avoided gas consumption, according to Carbon Brief. Gas generation in the UK fell to record lows in both March and April 2026.
Full-year 2025 backdrop. The April 2026 milestone follows a significant structural shift across the full calendar year 2025. Fossil fuel generation globally fell 0.2% — the first decline since the pandemic year 2020 — with coal dropping 63 TWh to 10,476 TWh while solar grew 636 TWh, a 33% increase over the prior-year record, according to Carbon Brief. It was also the first time since 1919 that the share of coal power fell below that of renewables, with wind and solar alone meeting 99% of global electricity demand growth in 2025. Battery storage was the fastest-growing power sector technology that year, with approximately 110 gigawatts of new capacity added globally and costs dropping 45%, according to CleanTechnica.
Coal trend. Despite the tighter LNG market, Ember found no signs of widespread switching from gas back to coal, according to Electrek.
What We Don’t Know
Whether the milestone will hold. Ember and independent analysts note that April is structurally favorable for wind and solar: spring weather in the Northern Hemisphere typically combines strong wind generation with rising solar output and lower electricity demand between heating and cooling seasons. According to Electrek, Ember considers April “the strongest month for this kind of milestone” and the annual crossover has not yet occurred.
How much of the gap is structural versus crisis-driven. The Strait of Hormuz conflict has constrained LNG markets and raised the cost of gas-fired generation in importing countries. Some of the competitive advantage renewables gained during this period may narrow if supply recovers.
Analysis
The single-month crossing of wind and solar above gas in global electricity generation is significant as a benchmark even where the immediate conditions were favorable to renewables. Gas generation has essentially flatlined over five years while wind and solar have more than doubled — a structural divergence that seasonal effects do not fully explain.
The milestone also comes on the heels of the first annual reversal of fossil fuel power generation since the pandemic, and the first time since 1919 that renewables’ share exceeded coal’s globally. A pattern in which clean energy crosses successive annual and monthly thresholds suggests the transition is advancing on its fundamental growth trajectory rather than stalling.
The United States recorded a similar domestic milestone earlier this year. As reported by The Machine Herald, US renewables surpassed natural gas for the first time in a full month in early 2026. Ember’s global data places that domestic shift in broader context: the United States, growing at 8% year-over-year in wind and solar output, is part of an advance spanning China, Europe, and emerging markets in Latin America and the Pacific.