Solar panels will likely never be viable, all methods we know of making them and theoretical methods involve very rare elements, even ignoring that, the process in which the panels convert sunlight into energy converts those elements. Solar panels are not renewable due to this and as such aren't any different from a fossil fuel except the materials are even rarer than oil. At current production rates of panels/misc electronics we're likely going to run out of *commercially viable* stock of indium/galnium/hafnium before 2020.

As for distance that's what HVDC is addressing, there's already functional models that will deliver DC at greater distances than AC, so it's viable to reach Mr.Blow's deluxe trailer.

However the real issue in that is that DC is completely incompatible with our "grid" as you put it, system. Which is more appropriately called "load bearing delivery". It operates by measuring the average daily usage of electricity and producing about 10% above that number at all times. In my experience most people think electricity is "Stored" or is somehow "on demand" when that's entirely untrue. Whether or not the entire load is used, that much electricity is generated and wasted. DC on the otherhand lends itself to "on demand" usage very well, so even using 2/3 less on average we'd be using even less because we'd only be using exactly what was needed. Well producing DC on premise is nice for other reasons, it's not *required* as you imply.

So switching to DC will require a massive infrastructure change that we're unlikely to see anytime soon =/. Also requires a little more time for super capacitors to be fully developed as the storage medium.

However as I said earlier I think over time you'll see us slowly switching back as a society because the benefits are there.