I am having trouble finding another example of the government penalizing citizens for not buying something through taxation.
Government can tax/fine/penalize you for not engaging in the behavior they want, whether that's forcing you to buy car insurance, or fining you for not complying with the speed limit or wearing a seat belt. As for your examples, one day those might be true. Maybe fifty years from now the government will provide a credit for solar panels and if they aren't installed you'll be fined (or taxed).