Solar Incentives and Rebates in North Carolina

Peak Sun Hours (PSH):		4–4.5
Cost of Grid Power:		$0.11/kWh
Number Of Installations:		20,822

What’s the Cost of Solar in North Carolina?

Cost of Grid Power

North Carolina's electricity prices average $0.11/kWh, slightly up from last year and below the national average of $0.14/kWh.

Cost of a Solar Install

The average cost of a 5.5kW (equivalent to saving about 100 trees a year) solar power system starts around $12,000 in North Carolina. That system would pay for itself through energy savings within 5.5-7 years. System life can span well over 25 years, and savings will improve with inflation.

Going Solar in North Carolina

More than 10% of the power generated in North Carolina is from renewable sources, three fifths of which comes from solar as of 2019. That year the state ranked second in the nation for total solar generating capacity installed. At this point the state's Renewables Portfolio Standard (RPS) goals have been exceeded. North Carolina's metering policy credits homeowners for any extra electricity their system produces, but those credits do not roll over year-over-year.

What Incentives are Available in North Carolina?

Data from DSIRE. For more info visit: https://www.dsireusa.org/

Name	Implementing Sector	Program Type	Administrator	DSIRE ID
Renewable Energy Equipment Manufacturer Incentive	State	Industry Recruitment/Support		102
Active Solar Heating and Cooling Systems Exemption	State	Property Tax Incentive	North Carolina Solar Center	183
Interconnection Standards	State	Interconnection		354
Town of Chapel Hill - Energy Conservation Requirements for Town Buildings	Local	Energy Standards for Public Buildings		391
Net Metering	State	Net Metering		1246
Solar Rights	State	Solar/Wind Access Policy		2646
Ashe County - Wind Energy System Ordinance	Local	Solar/Wind Permitting Standards		2778
Local Option - Green Building Incentives	State	Green Building Incentive		2956
practice table	State	Other Incentive		2959
Property Tax Abatement for Solar Electric Systems	State	Property Tax Incentive	N.C. Department of Revenue	3036
Model Wind Ordinance	State	Solar/Wind Permitting Standards		3051
Tyrrell County - Wind Energy Facility Ordinance	Local	Solar/Wind Permitting Standards		3368
Hyde County - Wind Energy Facility Ordinance	Local	Solar/Wind Permitting Standards		3371
Local Option - Financing Program for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency	State	Loan Program		3649
Carteret County - Wind Energy Facility Ordinance	Local	Solar/Wind Permitting Standards		3774
Carteret County - Wind Energy System Ordinance	State	Solar/Wind Permitting Standards		3895
Pitt County - Wind Energy Systems Ordinance	Local	Solar/Wind Permitting Standards		4076
Madison County - Wind Energy Systems Ordinance	Local	Solar/Wind Permitting Standards		4332
Lincoln County - LEED-Certified Building Incentive Program	Local	Green Building Incentive	Lincoln County	5186
Wind Energy Permitting Standards	State	Solar/Wind Permitting Standards		5421
Template Solar Energy Development Ordinance	State	Solar/Wind Permitting Standards		5445
Blue Ridge EMC - Net Metering	Utility	Net Metering		5849
City of Albemarle Public Utilities Department - Energy Solution Partnership: Distributed Generation	Utility	Energy Analysis		16651
Blue Ridge Electric Corporation - Outdoor Light for Commercial Use	Utility	Energy Analysis	Blue Ridge Electric Corporation	16867
EnergyUnited - Energy Efficiency	Utility	Energy Analysis	EnergyUnited	16868
PSNC Energy - Consulting Services	Other	Energy Analysis	PSNC Energy	17251
North Carolina Waste Reduction Partners - Strategic Energy Planning	Other	Energy Analysis	North Carolina Waste Reduction Partners	17896
North Carolina Waste Reduction Partners - Self Assessment Guide	Other	Energy Analysis	North Carolina Waste Reduction Partners	17897
North Carolina Waste Reduction Partners - Fact Sheets	Other	Energy Analysis	North Carolina Waste Reduction Partners	17898
PSNC Energy - Save Energy and Money	Other	Energy Analysis	PSNC Energy	18244
City of Gastonia - NC GreenPower	Local	Other	City of Gastonia	20195
Clayton Electric Dept - Save Money Programs	Other	Other	Clayton Electric Dept	20263
Concord Board of Light & Water - NC GreenPower	Other	Other	Concord Board of Light & Water	20314
Concord Board of Light & Water - Interconnection	Other	Other	Concord Board of Light & Water	20315
Tideland EMC - Renewable Programs	Utility	Other		20471
Energy Assessments	State	Energy Analysis		21899
Duke Energy - Energy Profiler Online	State	Energy Analysis	Duke Energy	21902
North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality - Energy Conservation	Utility	Energy Analysis	North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality	21953
Dominion Power - Non-Residential Energy Conservation Programs	Utility	Other	Dominion Power	21954
Duke Energy - NC Solar Rebate Program	Utility	Rebate Program		22063
EnergyUnited (Electric) Residential Energy Efficiency Program	Utility	Rebate Program		22094
EnergyUnited Commercial Lighting Program	Utility	Rebate Program		22096

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