Aaron, I don't know where you
Aaron, I don't know where you live, but in Germany, where the climate is similar to Oregon, they have the highest per capita use of solar in the world, so chances are that it'll work where you are, as long as you don't have shade on your roof. If you can't install solar, then you can sign up for your utility's renewable energy program and then run your house on wind energy. You should do that today.
I'm not sure where you got the notion that solar panels only last 10-15 years. That's clearly not true. Manufacturers warranty them for 25 years, but the PV systems installed in the 70's when they first came to market are still working. Life span of solar PV is measured in decades.
I don't put all of my eggs in one basket, but it's important to note that electric vehicles running on renewable energy is the single best way to go IF you need a car.