The economic nature of traditional power plants (mainly referring to coal-fired, gas-fired, and other fossil fuel power plants) lies in their high variable cost structure centered on fuel costs. Their profits mainly come from the 'processing fee for coal-to-electricity conversion' model and are significantly affected by fuel price fluctuations, power market reforms, and policy adjustments.

The economic nature of solar power plants is a capital-intensive model characterized by high initial investment and low marginal costs. Their levelized cost of electricity (LCOE) is generally lower than that of fossil fuels, and the investment payback period is usually 4 to 8 years. With technological iterations and economies of scale, photovoltaics have shifted from being a "substitute energy dependent on subsidies" to a mainstream power source driven by economics, with core value expanding from simply generating electricity to providing system regulation capabilities and energy security hedging.