North Carolina Solar Panels

Duke Energy PowerPair offers a one-time incentive of $0.36 per watt-AC of solar, up to 10 kW-AC ($3,600), plus $400 per kWh of battery capacity, up to 13.5 kWh ($5,400). The maximum combined incentive is $9,000, subject to program caps and available funding.

The program is for eligible North Carolina residential customers of Duke Energy Carolinas or Duke Energy Progress installing new solar and storage together. Requirements include approved equipment and an installer, interconnection approval, and enrollment on an eligible solar tariff. Capacity is limited, so confirm current availability and obtain any required reservation from Duke before signing a contract; published terms include a long-term participation commitment.

Duke Energy offers a battery-control option through its Power Manager or EnergyWise Home programs. Participants allow Duke to adjust battery operation during grid events and may receive a monthly bill credit; the credit is not a single statewide amount and depends on the applicable program, tariff, and battery characteristics.

Dispatch and opt-out terms apply. Duke’s program announcement describes dispatch events during the year, but customers should confirm current availability, credit amounts, and control requirements for their service territory and battery before enrolling. This bill credit is separate from PowerPair’s one-time solar-and-battery incentive.

State law excludes 80% of the appraised value of a qualifying solar energy electric system from local property taxation. This reduces the value included in the property-tax assessment; it is not a cash rebate or income-tax credit.

The statutory definition covers equipment used directly and exclusively to convert solar energy to electricity. NCDOR provides the AV-10 application for property-tax exemption or exclusion, which homeowners generally submit to their county assessor. The statute does not clearly resolve whether a standalone battery qualifies, so ask the county assessor how it will treat the battery and what filing deadlines apply.

Net metering and net-billing tariffs can provide bill value for electricity a customer’s solar system exports, but they are billing policies rather than upfront rebates. For Duke Energy Carolinas and Duke Energy Progress customers on newer residential tariffs, monthly excess exports are generally credited at the utility’s Net Excess Energy Credit rate, based on avoided cost rather than the full retail rate; minimum bills and other non-bypassable charges may still apply. Rider RSC requires a time-of-use rate with critical-peak pricing, while Rider NMB has limited annual availability. Existing legacy Rider NM customers may remain on it through December 31, 2026, before transition to NMB under the described terms.

Tariffs, export rates, fees, and interconnection requirements vary by utility. Electric cooperatives and municipal utilities set their own terms, so homeowners served by those utilities should ask directly about export compensation and system limits. Obtain utility interconnection approval before operating a grid-connected system.

Piedmont Electric describes a member solar loan of up to $15,000, with a seven-year term and a stated interest rate of 5%. It can help spread the cost of an eligible solar installation, but it is financing that must be repaid—not a grant, rebate, or tax credit.

Availability and eligible equipment depend on current cooperative terms and member eligibility. Contact Piedmont Electric before making purchase decisions to confirm that the loan is currently offered, whether your proposed solar-panel system qualifies, and the applicable payment and application requirements.

Piedmont Electric members in good standing can subscribe to panels in cooperative solar farms for $2.50 per panel per month, according to the program information. Subscribers receive monthly bill credits calculated from their share of the panels’ production and the applicable credit rate.

This is a subscription option for participating cooperative members, not ownership of rooftop equipment and not an upfront installation rebate. Because production and bill-credit values vary, ask Piedmont Electric for current availability, subscription terms, and the expected credit before enrolling.