Lifespans of panels and batteries is limited, but so is the lifetime of everything else. Current panels are designed for ~15-20 years lifetime. Wind turbines are designed for 20 years lifetime. Coal power plants are designed for 30 years lifetime.
Of course solar panels pretty much need to be completely replaced while wind turbines and coal plants can be refurbished, but isn't that mainly because solar panels require next to no permanent structures? Refurbishing wind turbines is a thing because support infrastructure and the towers are already standing. Refurbishing coal plants is a thing because they are very complex and buildings are expensive. Solar power consists of next to nothing except the panels, the batteries and a few cables.
> Solar power consists of next to nothing except the panels, the batteries and a few cables.
You forgot the inverter, the supports, and optionally the solar tracker. Also, batteries are optional; many installations, including in the megawatt range, don't have them. In fact, it's better to treat battery storage as something completely separate from solar power, since it can also be used with wind, or even with other sources like thermal.
>You forgot the inverter, the supports, and optionally the solar tracker
That's why I said "next to nothing", not "nothing".
You're right that in a grid-connected setup you won't have batteries in the setup. Ideally, you don't want batteries anywhere in the grid and instead do pumped hydroelectric storage, but that's not possible everywhere.
Of course solar panels pretty much need to be completely replaced while wind turbines and coal plants can be refurbished, but isn't that mainly because solar panels require next to no permanent structures? Refurbishing wind turbines is a thing because support infrastructure and the towers are already standing. Refurbishing coal plants is a thing because they are very complex and buildings are expensive. Solar power consists of next to nothing except the panels, the batteries and a few cables.