We are delighted to announce that Vanesa Castán Broto and Joshua Kirshner’s timely article on the importance of energy access in maintaining health during pandemics is now freely available in Nature Energy. Energy plays a central role in responding to emergencies such as the COVID-19 pandemic, from ensuring adequate healthcare services to supporting households during lockdowns. Protecting the renewable energy industry and its contribution to providing sustainable energy access for all must be an urgent priority in the current crisis.