the reason solar was doomed from the start is simple: once you get set up with a workable system, you no longer have to buy anything from the conglomerates that support he political system. Can’t have people having real independence now, can we?
Panels degrade over time. By the time you get payback from having solar, it's time to replace the panels.
Unmentioned is the cost and effort of keeping the panels clean. Panels encrusted with dirt and bird poop will not generate much electricity. Cleaning the panels regularly will involve getting up on the roof with buckets of water and detergent. They also don't mention the environmental impact of manufacturing thousands of square miles of solar panels.