Raleigh, NC Solar Panels

North Carolina’s Solar Energy System Property Tax Exclusion helps homeowners save money on their annual property taxes when they install a solar energy system. When you add solar panels to your home, they typically increase your property’s value. Normally, this would mean higher property taxes. However, this state program excludes 80% of your solar system’s appraised value from property taxation, significantly reducing the tax impact of your investment.

To qualify for this exclusion, your solar system must be classified as business personal property. This means you need to either claim depreciation on the system when filing your federal income taxes (using Schedule C) or recognize income from selling electricity back to your utility company. If you participate in a simple net metering arrangement where you only receive credits on your utility bill—rather than actual income payments—and don’t claim depreciation, your system is considered non-business personal property and is completely exempt from property taxes (no exclusion needed).

There are no application deadlines for this ongoing program, as it applies automatically based on how your solar system is used and reported. Your county tax assessor will determine your eligibility based on documentation like your tax returns, system receipts, and your agreement with your utility company. It’s important to understand how you plan to use your solar system before installation, as this will affect whether you receive the 80% exclusion or complete exemption from property taxes.

Solar for All (EnergizeNC) is a $156 million state program designed to help North Carolina households—especially those with low to moderate incomes—install rooftop solar panels and battery storage systems. Led by the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality’s State Energy Office in partnership with Advanced Energy, the NC Clean Energy Technology Center, and the NC Clean Energy Fund, this program aims to make solar energy accessible to families who have traditionally faced barriers to adoption. The initiative focuses on reducing energy costs for households where utility bills take up a significant portion of their monthly budget.

While specific dollar amounts for individual homeowners haven’t been announced yet, the program is designed to provide financial assistance that makes solar installation affordable for qualifying households. The program will prioritize low-income and disadvantaged communities across North Carolina, including state- and federally recognized Tribal lands. EnergizeNC will also coordinate with existing low-income energy efficiency programs to maximize long-term savings and explore innovative financing options for households statewide.

The program is currently in its launch phase, and specific eligibility requirements, application processes, and deadlines have not yet been publicly released. Homeowners interested in participating should visit www.energizeNC.org to sign up for updates and learn when applications will open. The program emphasizes quality installations with trained professionals, ensuring that solar systems are safe, durable, and deliver the expected financial and environmental benefits to participating families.

Duke Energy’s PowerPair program is a pilot incentive that helps North Carolina homeowners reduce the upfront cost of installing solar panels paired with battery storage. This one-time incentive offers up to $9,000 based on the type of solar array and battery system you install. The program is available to residential customers in Duke Energy Carolinas and Duke Energy Progress service areas in North Carolina.

To participate, you must use a Duke Energy Trade Ally installer—an approved solar and battery installer certified by Duke Energy. You can find approved installers through Duke Energy’s Find It Duke program. The program uses a random selection process that opens May 10, with a four-week application window. Not all equipment qualifies, so you’ll need to check Duke Energy’s approved battery vendor list and equipment eligibility requirements at duke-energy.com/PowerPair.

You have two enrollment options: the residential solar choice rider (RSC) or the net metering bridge rider (NMB). If you choose the NMB option, you must also enroll in Duke Energy’s Power Manager or EnergyWise Home Battery Control program. This additional program allows Duke Energy to temporarily access your battery’s stored electricity 30-36 times per year during peak demand periods, and you’ll receive monthly bill credits in exchange. You can opt out of up to four events per year and still receive the credits. Your battery system must have internet connectivity to participate in these demand response programs.

The Net Metering Bridge Rider (NMB) is a transitional solar compensation program available to Duke Energy Progress and Duke Energy Carolina customers in North Carolina. Starting October 1, 2023, this program replaced the previous 1-to-1 net metering option for new solar customers. Under NMB, your solar system offsets your electricity use in real-time during the day, and any excess energy you produce beyond what you consume in a given month is credited to your account at a reduced rate of $0.034 per kilowatt-hour (3.4 cents/kWh).

In addition to the reduced export credit rate, NMB participants pay monthly fees that vary by utility territory. Duke Energy Progress customers pay a minimum monthly charge of $28 plus $0.62 per kilowatt of your system’s DC capacity each month. Duke Energy Carolina customers pay a $22 minimum monthly charge plus $0.28 per kilowatt DC per month. Credits are settled monthly rather than annually, meaning unused credits don’t roll over from year to year. This program is available on a first-come, first-served basis until annual capacity limits are reached, after which new customers will transition to the Residential Solar Choice program that requires enrollment in a Time of Use rate with Critical Peak Pricing.