Five hundred thirty-one terawatt-hours. That is how much electricity wind and solar generated globally in April 2026—54 TWh more than gas plants managed, according to analysis from energy think tank Ember. The milestone marks the first time renewables have outpaced gas for a full month, and it happened during the first complete month of the latest Middle East energy crisis, not in spite of it.
Wind and solar produced 22% of the world's electricity in April, compared to 20% from gas, with the two renewable sources generating 531 TWh during the month versus 477 TWh from gas plants , Ember reported. The contrast with five years ago is stark. In April 2021, gas generation stood at nearly identical levels (476 TWh), but wind and solar combined generated just 245 TWh—less than half of this April's output .
Can Grids Handle the Surge?
The speed of the shift is creating new problems. France offers a preview of what happens when solar capacity grows faster than grid flexibility. Solar generation climbed above 20 gigawatts on May 21, and combined with almost 40 gigawatts from France's nuclear fleet, the grid ran a large power surplus with exports to Germany, Italy and the UK reaching over 15 gigawatts , Bloomberg reported.
According to the Storio Energy Price Observatory, 90% of days in April recorded zero or negative prices on the day-ahead market . Prices fell as low as -€479 per megawatt-hour at 2:00 pm on April 26 —approaching the regulatory floor. The culprit? Approximately 6 GW of new solar capacity connected in 2025, much of it operating under feed-in tariff schemes that continue injecting electricity even during negative prices .
Renewable energy curtailed during negative-price periods nearly doubled compared with 2024, reaching almost 3 TWh , according to grid operator RTE. The French government responded in March by approving an agreement establishing a minimum output level for nuclear power to safeguard grid stability , which reduced the system's ability to absorb solar surges.
Where Is the Growth Coming From?
Texas is becoming the laboratory for what a renewable-heavy grid looks like at scale. The EIA forecasts that annual utility-scale solar generation will surpass coal for the first time in 2026 within ERCOT, with solar reaching 78 billion kilowatt-hours compared to 60 BkWh for coal . Solar's share of ERCOT's generation mix has increased from 4% to 12% between 2021 and 2025, while coal's share decreased from 19% to 13% .
The state is expected to account for approximately 40% of all new U.S. solar capacity additions this year . One major project, the Tehuacana Creek 1 Solar and Battery Energy Storage System, is expected to begin operations with an estimated capacity of 837 megawatts .
Globally, the pattern holds. Wind and solar output rose an estimated 13% year over year in April, with strong growth across major markets: China up 14%, the EU up 13%, the UK up 35%, the US up 8%, Australia up 17%, and Chile up 24% , Ember found. The analysis found no evidence of widespread switching from gas back to coal, despite energy security concerns and volatile fuel prices .
