Wind and Solar Overtake Gas in Global Electricity Generation Amid Energy Crisis - News and Statistics
May 23, 2026
Wind and Solar Surpass Gas Power for First Time in Monthly Record
In April, electricity generated from wind and solar sources exceeded output from gas-fired power plants for the first time on a monthly record, according to a report from climate outlet Ember cited by Reuters. Wind and solar installations accounted for 22% of global electricity generation last month, while gas-fired generation represented 20% of the total.
The ongoing energy crunch has constrained gas availability and driven up its cost, making renewable alternatives more economically competitive. An Ember global electricity analyst, Kostantsa Rangelova, stated that the current energy crisis has enhanced the economic case for renewables versus imported gas and added greater political urgency to accelerate their deployment.
However, the Strait of Hormuz crisis has impacted a fifth of global liquefied natural gas production capacity, causing price surges and prompting a shift from gas to coal across Asia, as coal remains the most affordable baseload power option. The crisis has also spurred growth in wind and solar deployment, particularly solar, as a fast substitute for hydrocarbons that are increasingly scarce.
The parallel expansion of wind and solar alongside coal reveals that affordability remains the primary consideration for most energy buyers. This trend challenges the view that wind and solar are reliable long-term replacements for hydrocarbons, but it does show they can serve as alternatives during periods of tight gas supply, especially when wind turbines and solar panels are at peak output.
Some observers note that the current shift in energy demand is likely temporary and will change once the Strait of Hormuz reopens and gas flows return to pre-crisis levels. Bob McNally, founder of Rapidan Energy Group and a former White House energy adviser, commented to Fortune that while high oil prices may push consumers to reduce gasoline demand more effectively than previous policies, periods of high demand are typically followed by downturns. When oil prices eventually fall, demand for electric vehicles is expected to decline as well, creating a cyclical pattern tied to oil price fluctuations.
1. INTRODUCTION
Making Data-Driven Decisions to Grow Your Business
- REPORT DESCRIPTION
- RESEARCH METHODOLOGY AND THE AI PLATFORM
- DATA-DRIVEN DECISIONS FOR YOUR BUSINESS
- GLOSSARY AND SPECIFIC TERMS
2. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
A Quick Overview of Market Performance
- KEY FINDINGS
- MARKET TRENDS This Chapter is Available Only for the Professional EditionPRO
3. MARKET OVERVIEW
Understanding the Current State of The Market and its Prospects
- MARKET SIZE: HISTORICAL DATA (2012–2025) AND FORECAST (2026–2035)
- CONSUMPTION BY COUNTRY: HISTORICAL DATA (2012–2025) AND FORECAST (2026–2035)
- MARKET FORECAST TO 2035
4. MOST PROMISING PRODUCTS FOR DIVERSIFICATION
Finding New Products to Diversify Your Business
- TOP PRODUCTS TO DIVERSIFY YOUR BUSINESS
- BEST-SELLING PRODUCTS
- MOST CONSUMED PRODUCTS
- MOST TRADED PRODUCTS
- MOST PROFITABLE PRODUCTS FOR EXPORT
5. MOST PROMISING SUPPLYING COUNTRIES
Choosing the Best Countries to Establish Your Sustainable Supply Chain
- TOP COUNTRIES TO SOURCE YOUR PRODUCT
- TOP PRODUCING COUNTRIES
- TOP EXPORTING COUNTRIES
- LOW-COST EXPORTING COUNTRIES
6. MOST PROMISING OVERSEAS MARKETS
Choosing the Best Countries to Boost Your Export
- TOP OVERSEAS MARKETS FOR EXPORTING YOUR PRODUCT
- TOP CONSUMING MARKETS
- UNSATURATED MARKETS
- TOP IMPORTING MARKETS
- MOST PROFITABLE MARKETS
7. PRODUCTION
The Latest Trends and Insights into The Industry
- PRODUCTION VOLUME AND VALUE: HISTORICAL DATA (2012–2025) AND FORECAST (2026–2035)
- PRODUCTION BY COUNTRY: HISTORICAL DATA (2012–2025) AND FORECAST (2026–2035)
8. IMPORTS
The Largest Import Supplying Countries
- IMPORTS: HISTORICAL DATA (2012–2025) AND FORECAST (2026–2035)
- IMPORTS BY COUNTRY: HISTORICAL DATA (2012–2025) AND FORECAST (2026–2035)
- IMPORT PRICES BY COUNTRY: HISTORICAL DATA (2012–2025) AND FORECAST (2026–2035)
9. EXPORTS
The Largest Destinations for Exports
- EXPORTS: HISTORICAL DATA (2012–2025) AND FORECAST (2026–2035)
- EXPORTS BY COUNTRY: HISTORICAL DATA (2012–2025) AND FORECAST (2026–2035)
- EXPORT PRICES BY COUNTRY: HISTORICAL DATA (2012–2025) AND FORECAST (2026–2035)
10. PROFILES OF MAJOR PRODUCERS
The Largest Producers on The Market and Their Profiles
-
11. COUNTRY PROFILES
The Largest Markets And Their Profiles
This Chapter is Available Only for the Professional Edition PRO11.1
United States
- Market Size
- Production
- Imports
- Exports
11.2
China
- Market Size
- Production
- Imports
- Exports
11.3
Japan
- Market Size
- Production
- Imports
- Exports
11.4
Germany
- Market Size
- Production
- Imports
- Exports
11.5
United Kingdom
- Market Size
- Production
- Imports
- Exports
11.6
France
- Market Size
- Production
- Imports
- Exports
11.7
Brazil
- Market Size
- Production
- Imports
- Exports
11.8
Italy
- Market Size
- Production
- Imports
- Exports
11.9
Russian Federation
- Market Size
- Production
- Imports
- Exports
11.10
India
- Market Size
- Production
- Imports
- Exports
11.11
Canada
- Market Size
- Production
- Imports
- Exports
11.12
Australia
- Market Size
- Production
- Imports
- Exports
11.13
Republic of Korea
- Market Size
- Production
- Imports
- Exports
11.14
Spain
- Market Size
- Production
- Imports
- Exports
11.15
Mexico
- Market Size
- Production
- Imports
- Exports
11.16
Indonesia
- Market Size
- Production
- Imports
- Exports
11.17
Netherlands
- Market Size
- Production
- Imports
- Exports
11.18
Turkey
- Market Size
- Production
- Imports
- Exports
11.19
Saudi Arabia
- Market Size
- Production
- Imports
- Exports
11.20
Switzerland
- Market Size
- Production
- Imports
- Exports
11.21
Sweden
- Market Size
- Production
- Imports
- Exports
11.22
Nigeria
- Market Size
- Production
- Imports
- Exports
11.23
Poland
- Market Size
- Production
- Imports
- Exports
11.24
Belgium
- Market Size
- Production
- Imports
- Exports
11.25
Argentina
- Market Size
- Production
- Imports
- Exports
11.26
Norway
- Market Size
- Production
- Imports
- Exports
11.27
Austria
- Market Size
- Production
- Imports
- Exports
11.28
Thailand
- Market Size
- Production
- Imports
- Exports
11.29
United Arab Emirates
- Market Size
- Production
- Imports
- Exports
11.30
Colombia
- Market Size
- Production
- Imports
- Exports
11.31
Denmark
- Market Size
- Production
- Imports
- Exports
11.32
South Africa
- Market Size
- Production
- Imports
- Exports
11.33
Malaysia
- Market Size
- Production
- Imports
- Exports
11.34
Israel
- Market Size
- Production
- Imports
- Exports
11.35
Singapore
- Market Size
- Production
- Imports
- Exports
11.36
Egypt
- Market Size
- Production
- Imports
- Exports
11.37
Philippines
- Market Size
- Production
- Imports
- Exports
11.38
Finland
- Market Size
- Production
- Imports
- Exports
11.39
Chile
- Market Size
- Production
- Imports
- Exports
11.40
Ireland
- Market Size
- Production
- Imports
- Exports
11.41
Pakistan
- Market Size
- Production
- Imports
- Exports
11.42
Greece
- Market Size
- Production
- Imports
- Exports
11.43
Portugal
- Market Size
- Production
- Imports
- Exports
11.44
Kazakhstan
- Market Size
- Production
- Imports
- Exports
11.45
Algeria
- Market Size
- Production
- Imports
- Exports
11.46
Czech Republic
- Market Size
- Production
- Imports
- Exports
11.47
Qatar
- Market Size
- Production
- Imports
- Exports
11.48
Peru
- Market Size
- Production
- Imports
- Exports
11.49
Romania
- Market Size
- Production
- Imports
- Exports
11.50
Vietnam
- Market Size
- Production
- Imports
- Exports
LIST OF TABLES
- Key Findings In 2025
- Market Volume, In Physical Terms: Historical Data (2012–2025) and Forecast (2026–2035)
- Market Value: Historical Data (2012–2025) and Forecast (2026–2035)
- Per Capita Consumption, by Country, 2022–2025
- Production, In Physical Terms, By Country: Historical Data (2012–2025) and Forecast (2026–2035)
- Imports, In Physical Terms, By Country: Historical Data (2012–2025) and Forecast (2026–2035)
- Imports, In Value Terms, By Country: Historical Data (2012–2025) and Forecast (2026–2035)
- Import Prices, By Country: Historical Data (2012–2025) and Forecast (2026–2035)
- Exports, In Physical Terms, By Country: Historical Data (2012–2025) and Forecast (2026–2035)
- Exports, In Value Terms, By Country: Historical Data (2012–2025) and Forecast (2026–2035)
- Export Prices, By Country: Historical Data (2012–2025) and Forecast (2026–2035)
LIST OF FIGURES
- Market Volume, In Physical Terms: Historical Data (2012–2025) and Forecast (2026–2035)
- Market Value: Historical Data (2012–2025) and Forecast (2026–2035)
- Consumption, by Country, 2025
- Market Volume Forecast to 2035
- Market Value Forecast to 2035
- Market Size and Growth, By Product
- Average Per Capita Consumption, By Product
- Exports and Growth, By Product
- Export Prices and Growth, By Product
- Production Volume and Growth
- Exports and Growth
- Export Prices and Growth
- Market Size and Growth
- Per Capita Consumption
- Imports and Growth
- Import Prices
- Production, In Physical Terms: Historical Data (2012–2025) and Forecast (2026–2035)
- Production, In Value Terms: Historical Data (2012–2025) and Forecast (2026–2035)
- Production, by Country, 2025
- Production, In Physical Terms, by Country: Historical Data (2012–2025) and Forecast (2026–2035)
- Imports, In Physical Terms: Historical Data (2012–2025) and Forecast (2026–2035)
- Imports, In Value Terms: Historical Data (2012–2025) and Forecast (2026–2035)
- Imports, In Physical Terms, By Country, 2025
- Imports, In Physical Terms, By Country: Historical Data (2012–2025) and Forecast (2026–2035)
- Imports, In Value Terms, By Country: Historical Data (2012–2025) and Forecast (2026–2035)
- Import Prices, By Country: Historical Data (2012–2025) and Forecast (2026–2035)
- Exports, In Physical Terms: Historical Data (2012–2025) and Forecast (2026–2035)
- Exports, In Value Terms: Historical Data (2012–2025) and Forecast (2026–2035)
- Exports, In Physical Terms, By Country, 2025
- Exports, In Physical Terms, By Country: Historical Data (2012–2025) and Forecast (2026–2035)
- Exports, In Value Terms, By Country: Historical Data (2012–2025) and Forecast (2026–2035)
- Export Prices, By Country: Historical Data (2012–2025) and Forecast (2026–2035)