Reply to slg
"does anyone here have solar panels or looked into getting them installed??"
Yes. Send me a pm and you can come and see it.
I keep weekly records of generation.

They claim the 1kW unit will generate ~1600kWh over a year. After 11 months experience mine will be lucky to give 1500kWh for a year. With the cutback in the subsidy, you buy a solar panel for the warm fuzzy feeling you might get, it will not be a financial investment, even with the way electricity prices are going. and if you are a greenie, note that the low price to you depends on selling the 'green energy credits' so the power company that buys the credits can cut green production by that amount.