Asheville, NC

The Solar Energy System Property Tax Exclusion is a valuable North Carolina tax incentive that reduces the property tax burden on solar photovoltaic (PV) systems. For qualifying solar installations, this program excludes 80% of the appraised value of the system from property taxation. This means you’ll only pay property taxes on 20% of your solar system’s value, significantly reducing your annual property tax liability.

To qualify for this tax exclusion, your solar system must be used to produce income or in connection with a business. This typically applies to systems where you sell electricity back to the utility company or claim depreciation on your tax returns. However, if you’re a homeowner with a residential solar system that only provides electricity credits through net metering (rather than direct income), your system may be completely exempt from property taxes as non-business personal property under G.S. 105-275(16). There are no specific deadlines for this ongoing incentive, but you may need to provide documentation such as tax returns, receipts, or utility agreements to your county assessor to verify your eligibility status.

The Solar for All (EnergizeNC) program is a state initiative in North Carolina that helps homeowners access affordable solar energy, with a focus on low-income and disadvantaged communities. Funded by a $156 million grant from the EPA’s Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund, this program aims to deploy rooftop solar systems that can significantly reduce household energy costs while promoting clean energy adoption across the state.

The program specifically targets low and moderate-income households, including those in state and federally recognized Tribal lands. While specific dollar amounts of savings aren’t detailed, the program’s primary goal is to make solar energy accessible to families for whom energy costs represent a substantial portion of their budget. The EnergizeNC coalition, led by the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality’s State Energy Office, will coordinate this effort to ensure safe, reliable solar installations that deliver both financial savings and environmental benefits. For updates and more information on eligibility requirements and program timelines, interested homeowners should visit www.energizeNC.org.

Duke Energy’s PowerPair program is a pilot incentive for North Carolina homeowners who install both solar panels and battery storage systems. This utility program offers a one-time payment of up to $9,000 to help reduce the upfront cost of installing a combined solar and battery system at your home. The exact incentive amount depends on the specific type of solar array and battery storage system you install.

To qualify, you must be a residential customer in Duke Energy Carolinas or Duke Energy Progress service areas in North Carolina. Participants must use a Duke Energy Trade Ally (approved installer) for their installation, and not all solar and battery systems will be eligible. The program opened for applications on May 10, 2024, with participants initially selected through a random selection process. Homeowners can choose between two enrollment options: the Residential Solar Choice rider or the Net Metering Bridge rider. Those selecting the Net Metering Bridge option must also enroll in Duke Energy’s battery control program, which allows the utility to access your stored electricity up to 36 times per year (with the ability to opt out of four events annually) in exchange for additional monthly bill credits.

The Net Metering Bridge Rider (NMB) is a transitional solar incentive program offered by Duke Energy in North Carolina for both Duke Energy Progress (DEP) and Duke Energy Carolina (DEC) customers. This program allows solar system owners to receive credit for excess electricity their systems produce and send back to the grid. Unlike the previous 1-to-1 net metering program that closed on October 1, 2023, the NMB provides monthly net metering where any excess production not used within the month is credited at 3.4 cents per kilowatt-hour.

To be eligible, homeowners must submit interconnection applications starting October 1, 2023, until the annual capacity for the program is filled. Once this capacity is reached, new customers will be placed on the Residential Solar Choice (RSC) program, which requires a Time of Use with Critical Peak Pricing rate schedule. Important considerations include minimum monthly charges ($28 for DEP and $22 for DEC) and additional charges based on system size ($0.62/kW DC per month for DEP and $0.28/kW DC per month for DEC). The previous 1-to-1 net metering customers are grandfathered until January 1, 2027, after which they will transition to newer programs.