I don't have experience with solar, but I'm interested in that too! Of course, in Florida, right now, even if you have solar panels, you legally need to be connected to the grid and pay the basic connection service fee.... (WTF?) so that blows. We're trying to get that law changed because it basically just protects the big energy giants.
As for my rain collection, I just have the barrels that have lids and have one barrel sitting under a downspout. Right now, since it's the rainy season, all of barrels are full and I don't need to do anything, but during the dry season, I will be moving water from the one barrel under the spout to the other barrels once I use up the rain water. Very low tech, but I like it that way. Gives me a reason to work out. For this same reason I have a push mower and won't buy a riding mower (unless I have more property like 1 acre +)