For the first time in history, wind and solar produced more of the world's electricity than fossil gas — a milestone that energy analysts say signals a structural shift in how the planet is powered.

According to fresh analysis from the energy thinktank Ember, the two renewable sources together generated 22% of global electricity in April 2026, compared with 20% from gas. The figure may sound modest, but only a decade ago wind and solar combined accounted for less than 5% of global power. The crossover puts them, for one month at least, ahead of the most flexible fossil fuel in the system.

A trend, not a blip

Ember was careful to frame the result as part of a broader trajectory rather than a one-off reaction to a single event. Solar capacity additions have been doubling roughly every three years, and wind generation continues to climb steadily as turbines get bigger and offshore projects come online in Europe, China and the United States.

"Countries around the world have been turning to wind and solar because they are cheap, homegrown and secure sources of electricity," said Kostantsa Rangelova, Ember's global electricity analyst. "The current energy crisis has further strengthened the economic case for renewables."

Ember's data show that gas generation in April rose only slightly compared with the same month a year earlier, while wind and solar each grew by double digits. That gap widens during sunny, windy spring months in the northern hemisphere — but it also reflects what utilities are choosing to build.

Why this matters

Gas plants have long been seen as the bridge fuel of the energy transition: cleaner than coal, flexible enough to follow demand, and cheap enough to underwrite. Wind and solar overtaking gas — even briefly — suggests that bridge may already be shorter than expected.

The economics tell the same story. The International Energy Agency now estimates that new utility-scale solar is the cheapest source of electricity in most major markets, and onshore wind is close behind. When paired with falling battery storage costs, that combination is starting to displace not just gas peakers but baseload coal too.

Where the growth is coming from

China remains the dominant force. The country installed more solar in 2025 than the rest of the world combined and continues to lead in 2026. India crossed 100 gigawatts of solar capacity last year and is now adding wind at a record pace. In Europe, Germany, Spain and the UK are racing to scale offshore wind, while the United States has restarted stalled transmission projects that should unlock interior wind power for coastal demand.

Crucially, the milestone arrived without the kind of policy mega-package that often makes headlines. The 22-to-20 ratio is the cumulative result of thousands of small decisions — a rooftop here, a corporate power purchase agreement there, a project waiting in the queue that finally cleared interconnection.

What comes next

April is, admittedly, a friendly month for renewables. Wind tends to blow harder in spring and solar output ramps as days lengthen. Analysts expect gas to recapture the lead during the northern hemisphere summer, when air conditioning loads spike and solar curves cannot fully cover evening peaks.

Still, Ember projects that 2026 will be the first full year in which wind and solar combined supply more electricity than gas globally — a threshold many climate scenarios assumed would arrive closer to the end of the decade.

"This is the new normal taking shape," Rangelova said. "Not a future technology. Today's grid."