Why Solar Energy Is Now the Cheapest Electricity Source in History

Solar PV costs have declined 90%+ since 2010, making solar the cheapest electricity source in most markets. LCOE (levelized cost of energy): solar at $20-40/MWh vs coal at $65-150/MWh vs nuclear at $130-200/MWh. Global solar capacity exceeded 1.5 TW in 2025. Storage costs (lithium-ion batteries) declined 90% since 2010, addressing intermittency. Grid-scale battery storage growing 40%+ annually. The remaining challenge: grid infrastructure upgrades to handle distributed generation and seasonal storage for when solar isn't available.