Solar is definitely the way to go if you can afford a $30,000 solar system.
Ive been looking into Proof of Stake altcoins like NXT.org. Both systems have their issues but PoS doesnt have the need for massive equipment and power requirements that Proof of Work altcoins need to function. PoS makes more sense to me since people are invested in the currency, not the equipment & power needed to support it.
Yet ONLY pos, can lead to holding and not using it as an currency.
Like I said Both systems have their issues. Many people wish that more were holding Bitcoins now to stabilize the value. People want their currency value to remain stable not fluctuate wildly like a commodity stock.
The current situation is a clear example of problems the Bitcoin network will face in the future. Miners only continue to operate when its profitable. Bitcoin value will always be tied to operating costs of people, equipment, facilities & energy.
Will their be enough individuals running long term hashing power to support network transactions for free when mining is over?
Will the system eventually transform into something centralized that will charge transaction fees to support operating costs? Which would be exactly like the banking system that we have today.