North Carolina Solar Incentives 2026: The Complete Picture
The North Carolina solar incentives 2026 landscape is dominated by a single program with a ticking clock. Duke Energy's PowerPair pays homeowners up to $9,000 for installing solar panels paired with battery storage: $0.36 per watt of solar up to 10 kW ($3,600 max) plus $400 per kWh of battery up to 13.5 kWh ($5,400 max). North Carolina offers no state solar tax credit, so PowerPair, net metering, and a property tax exclusion are the entire stack. And PowerPair ends in December 2026 with less than 3 percent of capacity remaining.
Eligibility is narrow. You must be a Duke Energy customer installing a new solar-plus-battery system through a Duke Trade Ally installer, with a contract signed and submitted to Duke by year end. Duke Energy Progress territory (Raleigh, Wilmington, Asheville) is already at capacity and waitlist-only. Duke Energy Carolinas territory (Charlotte, Greensboro, Durham) was nearly full as of late September 2026. Check Duke's PowerPair page for remaining capacity before spending a dollar on quotes.
PowerPair Math: What $9,000 Looks Like
Take a 10 kW solar array with a 13.5 kWh battery costing $45,000 installed. PowerPair subtracts $3,600 for the solar and $5,400 for the battery, bringing out-of-pocket cost to $36,000. There is no federal credit for purchased systems in 2026, so that $9,000 is the main discount. Separately, enrolling the battery in Duke's Battery Control program pays about $6.50 per kW of battery capacity monthly, roughly $52 a month or $624 a year for a Tesla Powerwall 3, in exchange for Duke dispatching your battery 30 to 36 times a year.
The catch to know
The remaining PowerPair path requires Duke's Residential Solar Choice time-of-use rate plan, and on that path you cannot join Battery Control for the first 24 months. You choose between the upfront $9,000 with TOU rates now, or skipping PowerPair for standard net metering plus Battery Control income sooner. Model both before deciding.
Net Metering Options in North Carolina
New Duke customers choose between two structures. The Net Metering Bridge keeps you on a standard rate plan with monthly netting. Residential Solar Choice is a time-of-use plan where power costs more during peak hours, which pairs well with a battery that covers your evening usage. Under both, exports first cancel imports in the same month, and leftover exports credit at 4.53 cents per kWh. That low export rate is exactly why PowerPair pushes batteries: stored power used at home is worth far more than exported power.
Taxes, Costs, and Next Steps
- State tax credit: none. North Carolina offers no solar income tax credit.
- Property tax: solar systems are excluded from property tax assessment.
- Federal: no 25D credit for 2026 purchases; leased systems may carry federal value through the owner's commercial credit.
- Timing: if you want PowerPair, get a Trade Ally quote this month. If you miss it, focus on Battery Control plus strong net metering economics.
Because the program is nearly full, speed matters more than perfection. Still, verify any quote with our red flags guide and compare pricing against 2026 benchmarks before signing.