The problem with solar isn't that you can't calculate the consumption, this is false. also, the "old fashion" isn't more reliable, it all depends on your plans and the regulation of where you live, one exception, however, is that off-grid solar system is terrible for mining regardless of where do you live, the life-snap of all batteries is relatively short, and most folks don't understand that just because the sun shines at 8 am and sets at 8 pm you don't really get 12 hours of solar power, it's a LOT less than that, so the amount of backup you are going to need is HUGE.
And given the fact that all batteries have a limited cycle-life (depending on the DOD) you will have two major issues
1- You will pay a HUGE amount of batteries to cover up for the 16-22 hours on which your solar panels are not generating any power
2- The batteries will most likely die before you get to your ROI
Doing this on-grid however, and with the right "program" is a whole different story, the lifespan of the solar panels is way too long (decades-long) and you will have enough time to ROI, of course, you will be hit by a large initial payment which in some cases is better spent on more gears, but again, it's all about the incentives.