200 years to recoup solar panel cost

It would take homeowners more than 200 years to recoup the cost of installing solar panels through lower energy bills. They would save just 324 a year from the panels, which cost between £4,000 and £5,000 to install and can cause major disruption to homes, according to the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors. But having cavity insulation installed in external walls would cost just £440 for a terraced house, rising to £2,4000 for a detached property, and could cut energy bills by as much as £145 a year.