I've also read someplace that, ironically, the way solar equipment is manufactured today requires a lot of petroleum products as raw materials and a lot of energy (generated from fossil fuels).

I study solar power. Although the initial energy cost of producing solar cells is quite high, this is soon redeemed by it's ultra clean operation. Same goes for financial cost, since a solar cell requires little or no maintenance in it's lifetime.

There are regulations for recycling or disposing expired solar cells, which of course won't be kept by half the people, as with any regulations. To me, that would count as one of the major concerns of using solar power.

Thanks for that, raeyt. I guess what I'm wondering, though, is - when petroleum becomes exceedingly scarce, will it even be possible to manufacture solar cells?

Solar energy will not pollute our air with carbon dioxide and other harmful greenhouse gases and bad emissions.

Not directly but it can indirectly in the production of the solar cells.

If 1% of the area of the Sahara desert was covered with solar thermal power stations (not the usual solar thingies you may have on your roof, but more improved ones), it would provide enough energy for the whole world.
The sun is sending 15,000 times more energy to the earth than manking need, so why not use it