I know, this is hardly the time of year to be talking about solar panels. When the sun came out this week and it was almost lunchtime before we had to turn the lights on, it was quite a shock to the system. The gloomy weather, and the UK's unique ability to generate cloudy skies all year round would seem to indicate that solar panels may not be such a brilliant idea in this country.

However, the government has announced a couple of schemes which mean it may just be worth considering solar panels.

So how does it work?

The first scheme offers you cash to help with the cost of putting panels in. Julia Lynch Williams, director of energy services for npower, says: "The Low Carbon Buildings Programme has been extended until April 2011, providing grants of up to £2,500 for homeowners to buy solar panels, subject to availability."

The second is called Feed-in-Tarriffs, which is the amount you can be paid for feeding electricity into the system. This week the tarriff was increased, so you could make £800 a year from electricity generated from the panels.

Julia insists: "The new Feed-in-Tariff arrangement means homeowners have the opportunity to earn more than ever before from generating their own electricity and together with a grant, solar is certainly a more attractive investment than it's ever been. Given that the government has increased generation levels since the consultation in July, now definitely looks to be the best time to buy."

However, this doesn't make the panels a no-brainer. They still constitute quite an investment. It typically costs £12,000 to have the panels fitted, which if you take advantage of these schemes means you'll get payback in 11 years, which is hardly an overnight saving.

Of course, with the panels predicted to last about 25 years, you'd get more than a decade more of cash rewards. However, the amount you make is going to struggle to cover the cost of having old panels ripped out and new ones put in, so you'll be on a bit of a treadmill of trying to make a profit from your investment.

It's not going to appeal to everyone, especially if you live in a cloud-prone part of the UK. However, if you want to take advantage of the schemes you're going to have to look beyond the current weather conditions, because you'll need to act before April.