The feed-in tariff (FIT) scheme has led to the installation of 28,505 solar photovoltaic (PV) panels, new government figures show, revealing the huge uptake in the technology.
Domestic installations accounted for 29,229 of all renewable energy installations, while 911 were non-domestic.
This year has also marked the first solar scheme of above 100kW.
Since FITs were introduced in April 2010, 111MW of renewable capacity has qualified for the scheme, which funds any excess electricity sold back to the grid.
Of this, 77.8MW was from solar PV, although there were 205 hydro-electric installations, 1,329 wind power installations, 98 micro combined heat and power systems and three anaerobic digestion plants.
The government has brought forward its review into FITs, lowering the payments for schemes of more than 50kW.
Climate change minister Greg Barker said at the time: "I want to make sure that we capture the benefits of fast falling costs in solar technology to allow even more homes to benefit from feed in tariffs, rather than see that money go in bumper profits to a small number of big investors."
