Yeah, I don't think giant pinwheels are the way to go. Solar panels, however, will eventually become competitive.
I remember reading once that the energy required to manufacture a solar panel is equal to the amount of energy that panel will ever produce, which kind of makes them energy STORAGE devices, rather than energy producers. But that will (or already has?) change, and eventually they will make more sense.
They will never dominate the energy production industry, though
Maybe not on Earth, but...
“energy required to manufacture a solar panel is equal to the amount of energy that panel will ever produce”
If that’s so then the panels would be too expensive to even consider buying.