On another note, I find the idea of solarpunk really appealing, but don't come accross many specific recommendations (even this article only mentions one book)- anyone here have any good shouts on where to start?
among older SF, "ecotopia" would definitely be called solarpunk if it were published today. it's a little preachy but I enjoyed it. becky chambers's "monk and robot" books are great modern examples, I can definitely recommend those if you like quietly philosophical science fiction.
When friends ask me for fictional works with a Solarpunk vibe, here's my short list.
Movies: Miyazaki's "Castle in the Sky" and "Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind," Cameron's "Avatar," Disney's "Atlantis: The Lost Empire" and "Treasure Planet".
Video games: The Zelda series (especially the latest ones: TP, SS, Breath of the Wild), "Horizon Zero Dawn", "Nier: Automata".
Sunvault: stories of solarpunk and eco-speculation
Glass and gardens: solarpunk summers