Another wave of solar energy is expected Jan. 2 when the window will open for customers to apply for Duke Energy’s solar rebate program, set to give away at least $10 million in rebates to customers who install a solar system on their home or business in 2019.
The Duke Energy solar rebate program is a part of the Competitive Energy Solutions for North Carolina law passed in 2017. Millions of dollars in rebates have already helped thousands of customers take the solar leap.
“We are proud to make Birdsong the first Charlotte brewery to go solar,” said Chris Goulet, president of Birdsong Brewery. “The company’s solar installation is a big step toward making our organization more sustainable.”
North Carolina is No. 2 in the nation for solar power, including more than 8,000 residents in the state owning private solar systems. The rebate program first launched this summer and attracted so much interest that capacity for residential and non-residential customers was fully subscribed within weeks.
The program will run through 2022, with an estimated 7,500 residents expected to receive rebates for solar systems.
Duke will soon begin accepting new applications from customers who want to participate:
- On Jan. 2, the company will open the window for an additional 20 megawatts of new rooftop solar installations for residential, non-residential and nonprofit customers.
- Per the N.C. Utilities Commission order earlier in the year, the company will also reallocate any 2018 capacity for projects that have not been installed. That means customers who were waitlisted in 2018 with already-installed projects will be allowed to collect any available rebates. Any unconnected customers, or those that connected projects Oct. 3, 2018, or later, are eligible to apply in 2019.
Under the program, residential customers are eligible for a rebate of 60 cents per watt for solar energy systems 10 kilowatts (kW) or less. For example, a typical rooftop array of 8 kW is eligible for a $4,800 rebate. Installed systems 10 kW or greater are eligible for a maximum rebate of $6,000.
Nonresidential customers are eligible for 50 cents per watt. Nonprofit customers (such as churches and schools) are eligible for an enhanced rebate of 75 cents per watt for systems 100 kW or less.
New solar systems can be purchased for between $1-$1.50 per watt here.
