I have solar panels installed on my farm which produce about the same amount of electricity $$ per year that I use per year plus pay my REC's healthy facilities (poles/wire/transformers/maintenance/linemen/offices/staff) charge.  These US-made (Solarworld) solar panels and Enphase micro inverters are guaranteed for 25 years and have a payback period of about 1/3 of that. An excellent investment. Not at all like a Blue Tombstone.

And even at 25 years, the panels don't stop producing, their efficiency drops a bit but is still in the 80% of original output range.

Domestic, distributed solar is very different than the large scale solar and wind projects.  And on my REC I do pay for the grid so please don't start that track.