Six data points on how solar got this cheap, in three different kinds of evidence, and the part of the story that doesn't fit neatly into "it just keeps getting better"
The Solar Cost Curve Dataset & Dashboard, DT Linux
The Solar Cost Curve Dataset & Dashboard
An interactive companion to DT Linux's briefing on why solar power is now cheaper than anyone predicted: the multi-decade price curve, the forecasts it broke, and what the price actually looks like today, including the part of that price that reflects a manufacturing sector in crisis, not just a technology succeeding.
Filter by case
Three kinds of evidence
How each case compares
What's in this dataset, by composition
How the cancelled manufacturing capacity breaks down
A genuine part-to-whole composition: of the roughly 500 gigawatts of planned solar manufacturing capacity scrapped as the glut deepened, this is the split by supply-chain stage. This is the one place in this dataset where the numbers are shares of a single total; every other comparison here is an independent-category comparison and stays a bar chart on purpose.
Dataset schema
| Field | Description | Example |
|---|---|---|
| case_name | The forecast, price, or metric this row describes | "What solar costs today, unsubsidized" |
| tier | This report's own categorization of the kind of evidence, not a strength ranking | "The ledger" |
| key_metric | The headline sourced figure for this case | "3.8 to 7.8 cents per kWh, 2025" |
| source | Citation for the key metric | "Lazard, Levelized Cost of Energy+" |
| last_verified | Date the figure was last checked against its original source | "2026-09-03" |
About this dataset
How this data was collected
Every figure behind this dataset comes from a national lab, an international energy agency, an industry research firm, or a specific priced contract: Our World in Data's solar price series, NREL's Annual Technology Baseline, IEA's Renewables 2024 report, Lazard's Levelized Cost of Energy+, CSIS and Wood Mackenzie's manufacturing research, and trade filings tracked by Norton Rose Fulbright. DT Linux's research process cross-references each figure against its original publication; this report does not involve DT Linux collecting energy data itself.
Data handling and compliance
Built entirely from published agency reports, national lab archives, and industry research, never from personal or proprietary data collected by DT Linux. Full practices in our privacy policy.
API and pipeline access
Want a technology cost or supply-chain analysis like this refreshed on a schedule, or piped into your own systems? DT Linux builds custom research and data pipeline work per client; there is no self-serve API today, so delivery is handled directly by our team. Get in touch.
More from the DT Linux data store
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