Solar panels are really cool. Ok, so it takes a while to get a financial return on your energy costs (unless you live in NZ and have to pay stupid amounts for electricity). But they are a really good backup supply, and offset for the costs of electricity.
It would let you do things like - draw from your own batteries during the day when the power is expensive and then use mains power overnight when the power is cheaper.
We don't seem to have a lot of solar powered stuff out this way, because we have English weather (the explorers bought it with them I think). But we do have a lot of wind, so there are wind farms all over the place. It would be nice if someone got creative with them and made them a bit more attractive....