25 September, 2026

Solar power is becoming so cheap that some analysts describe it as “offensively cheap”. For decades, one of the biggest barriers to the energy transition has been access to reliable, affordable clean power. In many parts of the world, solar is beginning to clear that hurdle. As panel prices fall, businesses are generating more of their own electricity, households are gaining greater control over energy costs, and energy markets are starting to look very different from the centralised systems many of us have taken for granted.

The Financial Times recently explored how cheap solar is accelerating that shift. Its central argument is that electricity generation is becoming increasingly decentralised. Households and businesses that once depended entirely on utilities can now generate a significant share of their own power, potentially changing everything from grid economics to industrial competitiveness. For a transition often defined by costs and trade-offs, that is a compelling prospect. Lower bills, greater resilience and broader access to clean energy are exactly the kinds of gains the transition is supposed to deliver.

The more interesting question is what happens next. A recent paper in Communications Sustainability argues that solar’s climate benefits should not be measured solely by the emissions it avoids. Where and how projects are deployed matters too. Large-scale solar can affect soils, habitats, biodiversity and carbon-rich landscapes, meaning a project’s sustainability depends as much on how it is deployed as on the technology itself.

The same principle applies beyond land use. Falling prices tell us a great deal about affordability, but less about who bears the costs of extraction, manufacturing and end-of-life disposal. They tell us little about the workers in increasingly complex supply chains, or how infrastructure costs are shared as more households and businesses generate their own electricity. Utilities still need to maintain the grids everyone relies on when the sun is not shining. Grids, storage and system resilience remain essential investments, even in a more decentralised energy system.

None of this weakens the case for solar. If anything, it reflects how important it has become. Cheap renewable energy could prove one of the biggest gains of the transition, helping expand access to clean power while reshaping how energy is generated and consumed. But cost alone cannot be the measure of success. The next phase will depend on deploying solar in ways that work for ecosystems, communities, workers and the wider energy system.

By Mariana Garcia