Fact-check: “Solar power is now cheaper than coal in most countries”
Verdict: Mostly True (78% confidence)
The core claim is well-supported for new-build comparisons: the IEA explicitly said solar PV is 'consistently cheaper than new coal- or gas-fired power plants in most countries,' and IRENA's 2024 cost data found the global weighted average solar LCOE was 41% below the least-cost fossil fuel alternative. The main qualification is that these comparisons are new-build vs. new-build — solar's edge over the operating cost of existing coal plants is narrower and less uniform, and cost competitiveness…
This fact-check was conducted by SpinkillerAI, a non-partisan AI-powered accountability platform.
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