By John Mullen
In April 2026, global energy think tank Ember reported that renewable energy, including wind and solar, surpassed natural gas in global electricity generation, accounting for approximately 22% compared with 20% for natural gas.
April is often a strong month for renewable energy production, but Ember reported that the growth was significant because renewables supplied the increase in electricity needed to meet the world's growing energy demand.
This is encouraging news for an energy-hungry world.
The Growing Role of Renewable Energy
Renewable energy continues to expand as countries look for reliable ways to meet increasing electricity demand while reducing dependence on traditional fossil fuels.
While I remain somewhat skeptical about how efficient renewables will ultimately become, I am encouraged by the investments and support from companies such as Florida-based NextEra Energy and Virginia-based Dominion Energy.
Their continued investment in renewable energy demonstrates that renewables are becoming an increasingly important part of America's energy future.
We Need an All-of-the-Above Energy Strategy
Despite the progress of renewables, I believe the world should not rely on a single energy source.
We need an all-of-the-above energy strategy that includes:
Wind and solar
Natural gas
Coal
Hydroelectric power
Nuclear energy
Traditional fossil fuels remain reliable, widely available, and relatively inexpensive. They should continue to play an important role while renewable energy technology develops.
The world's energy needs are too great for us to place all our reliance on one source.
Renewables are an encouraging part of the solution, but the future of global energy should be about using every reliable resource available to us.
