The knife issue is pretty minor. You can just whitelist the knife in machine options(?) currently as a workaround.

I don't know how easy it would be to detect clear glass above a solar generator and work normally if it is just clear glass, but logically it should work that way.

The knife isn't supposed to be repaired. Also, the solar thing is by design too. Sorry :)

Well, coming back to this.
The fact that glass blocks block solar panels doesn't really make any sense. :v

Greenhouse Glass could even enhance the energy Generation.....but that's just an idea