is solar power the only means of coming out of the clutches of the greedy OPEC?  

Petroleum products won't be available even if we are ready to give $100 per barrel after some 50 years. So definitely we have to go for a alternate source for energy. Solar power is one source but currently the installation price is too much. In future we have to go for bio-fuel, solar power,nuclear power plants.

Yes the solution is worse than the disease,for threason that engineering will always be lagging behind science. The principle is simple but to manufacture a cost effective solar cell will require more time. Meanwhile what can we do ? Go for wind turbines , biogas and other inexhaustible sources of energy. As oil prices still go up other small suppliers will increase thier production and other non opec proudcers wouldn't like to miss the party and so they step into the market with their increased production. This adjustment process in the market will take some time.
jvs