Numerous nations have demonstrated their commitment to achieve sustainable economic growth by enhancing export sophistication fueled by imperative energy utilization. This research examines the impact of renewable and non-renewable energy (RE and NRE) use on the improvement and diversification of export strategies among OECD economies using data from 1990 to 2022. This study contributes to the existing body of knowledge by introducing an export sophistication index as a dependent variable in the corresponding model. Pre-estimations followed by employing the CS-ARDL method findings revealed that disaggregated energy use plays a pivotal role in enhancing the intelligence of OECD economies, with the use of NRE energy exerting a more significant influence than REN use. While foreign direct investment, institutional quality and human capital also play essential roles in the complexity of exports within these economies. Applying the dynamic econometric technique, Wavelet coherence analysis substantiates these findings. Consequently, the study's results yield a range of policy recommendations.