In April 2026, wind and solar installations worldwide produced more electricity than all gas power plants combined. The analysis institute Ember documents the milestone: 531 terawatt-hours from wind and solar versus 477 terawatt-hours from natural gas. Five years earlier, gas delivered twice as much. This is the first time wind and solar alone, without hydropower, have outpaced a fossil fuel source in a monthly comparison.
From 245 to 531 terawatt-hours in five years
The magnitude of the shift is stark. In April 2021, wind and solar together generated 245 terawatt-hours globally, while gas power delivered 476 terawatt-hours. Gas led by nearly two-to-one. By April 2026, the ratio inverted: 531 to 477 terawatt-hours for renewables. Wind and solar have more than doubled their output in five years. Gas has barely grown.
Wind and solar's share of global electricity reached 22 percent in April 2026, while gas fell to 20 percent. Global year-on-year growth for April was 13 percent. Britain led with 35 percent growth, followed by Chile at 24 percent and Australia at 17 percent. China grew 14 percent, the EU 13 percent, and the USA lagged at 8 percent.
Why April marks the turning point
Kostantsa Rangelova, energy analyst at Ember, cites two reasons: seasonal and structural. April favors renewables seasonally. Between heating and cooling seasons, electricity demand dips while spring winds and longer days boost generation. Gas plants run lower capacity in light-load months. Structurally, Rangelova notes a process spanning years: "Countries worldwide have chosen wind and solar because they are cheap, domestic, and secure."
The energy crisis after Russia's invasion of Ukraine accelerated this shift. Gas became expensive and geopolitically risky, while solar and wind costs plummeted. European governments raced to expand capacity to reduce import-gas dependency. What began in 2022 as emergency response is now structural reality. April 2026 is not an anomaly but the result of years of consistent buildout.
Comparison: Milestones of energy transition
Solar prices tell the story of scale. In 1976, one watt of solar capacity cost roughly 100 US dollars. By 2024, that figure dropped below 0.30 dollars, a 99.7 percent reduction over 50 years. Capacity exploded accordingly: in 2010, roughly 40 gigawatts of solar were installed globally. By 2025, over 4,000 gigawatts, a hundredfold increase in 15 years.
Denmark shows how fast structural change is possible. In the 1980s, the country powered itself almost entirely on oil and coal. By 2024, more than 80 percent of Danish electricity came from renewables, chiefly wind. In 2025, renewables globally surpassed coal for the first time in annual average, according to Ember's Global Electricity Review 2026. April 2026 marks the next step: wind and solar alone outpace gas in a single month.
When autumn and winter also turn
An annual victory over gas lies still years ahead. In winter, when short days depress solar output and heating demand drives gas plants, gas will likely maintain an edge for now. But the gap shrinks. At 13 percent annual growth, wind and solar output doubles in roughly six years. Gas barely grows. If capacity expansion holds pace, spring and summer months will follow April soon. Then autumn months. Annual average is only a matter of time.