Fact-check: “Solar power is now cheaper than coal in most countries”
Verdict: Mostly True (78% confidence)
The documented record — including the IEA's 2021 World Energy Outlook, a 2025 University of Surrey study, and IRENA data — strongly supports that new-build utility-scale solar is cheaper than new coal in the large majority of countries, with global average LCOEs for solar now well below those for coal. The qualifier 'most countries' holds up for new-build comparisons: IRENA found over 90% of new renewable capacity added in recent years beat new fossil fuel costs. The claim needs a small qualifi…
This fact-check was conducted by SpinkillerAI, a non-partisan AI-powered accountability platform.
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