From a  BBC News on-line article

Solar Panels are generating both electricity and money for homeowners.

A record number of homeowners had solar panels installed this month, according to energy regulator Ofgem.

The devices have been fitted to 2,257 homes so far during August, up from 1,700 in July and 1,400 in June.

More than 6,688 homes have had solar panels fitted since April, when the government’s scheme to reward people who generate their own energy altered.

The Feed In Tariff system now enables homeowners to receive 41.3p for every unit of energy they generate.

This is regardless of whether they use the energy or sell it back to the National Grid.

After the panels are installed, the tariff is paid for 25 years and increased in line with inflation.

This replaces the previous system, under which people could obtain grants to help cover the cost of installing the green technology.

According to the Energy Savings Trust, solar panels usually cost between £6,000 and £12,000 to buy and install, depending on their size.

The panels most commonly installed by homeowners, consisting of eight* panels able to generate up to 2.5kW, cost between £10,000 and £12,000.

The trust calculates such panels could generate about £700 a year from the Feed In Tariff, as well as saving homeowners about £100 a year on energy bills.**

In addition, people could make about £25 to £30 through selling unusued energy back to the National Grid.

* Solarsense believe this to be inaccurate. A ‘commonly installed’ 2.5kWp system will usually require between 12 and 14 panels, depending on the individual panel output.

** A average estimate of earnings for a 2.5kWp system according to the government’s SAP calculator would be £877.60, and a household paying 12p per kWh (unit) for their national grid electric and using 50% of the energy generated by their PV system would save £127.50 on their energy bill per annum.