NC incentive guide
North Carolina solar incentives in 2026
Last updated · every NC program below is verifiable against the sources at the foot of this page.
The most valuable solar incentive in North Carolina right now is Property tax exemption; periodic Duke rebates. Overall, the state's incentive stack rates as limited compared with the rest of the country.
The federal credit is gone — start here
The 30% federal residential clean energy credit (Section 25D) ended for systems installed after December 31, 2025. If you are buying a system in North Carolina this year, there is no federal credit. That is a roughly $7,560 swing on an $25,200 system compared with 2025 pricing, and it is why state programs matter more now than they did a year ago.
What North Carolina offers at a glance
| Incentive | Available? | Details |
|---|---|---|
| State income tax credit | No | — |
| Rebate or performance payment | Yes | Duke Energy rebate programs have run periodically and been oversubscribed |
| SREC market | No | — |
| Sales tax exemption | No | — |
| Property tax exemption | Yes | The value solar adds to the home is excluded from property tax assessment. |
| Federal tax credit | No | Section 25D ended for systems installed after December 31, 2025. |
Reviewed September 2026. Incentive programs change frequently and several are funding-capped — verify current status with the administering agency or DSIRE before relying on any figure.
North Carolina solar tax credit
There is no North Carolina solar tax credit in 2026, and no federal one either — Section 25D ended for systems installed after December 31, 2025. What North Carolina does offer on the tax side is property tax exemption, covered below.
North Carolina solar rebates and grants
Duke Energy rebate programs have run periodically and been oversubscribed. Rebate and grant programs are funding-limited and have opened and closed mid-year before, so confirm the current round is open before counting on it.
North Carolina’s state solar credit expired in 2015. Duke has periodically offered rebate programs (often oversubscribed); property tax exemption applies.
Net metering and export rates in North Carolina
North Carolina’s Duke Energy utilities replaced legacy net metering with a net billing structure including time-of-use elements; exports are credited below retail for new customers.
Compare this with net metering in every other state.
Export rules deserve to be read as an incentive. In a retail net metering state, every exported kilowatt-hour is worth the full retail rate; under net billing or avoided-cost compensation, the same kilowatt-hour can be worth a third of that. For a North Carolina home at an assumed $0.13/kWh, that difference compounds across a 25-year system life.
What this means for your numbers
A typical 8 kW system in North Carolina costs roughly $19,200–$25,200 installed before incentives, producing about 11,040 kWh a year and saving around $1,183 in year one — a simple payback near 16–21 years with no incentives applied. Anything in the table above shortens that.
Frequently asked questions
What are North Carolina solar tax credits worth in 2026?
North Carolina offers no residential solar income tax credit in 2026, and the 30% federal credit ended for systems installed after December 31, 2025. What remains on the tax side is property tax exemption, which lower cost indirectly rather than paying you back.
Does North Carolina have solar rebates?
Yes. Duke Energy rebate programs have run periodically and been oversubscribed. Rebate programs in NC are funding-limited and have historically opened and closed mid-year, so confirm the current round is still accepting applications before you count the money.
Is there a North Carolina solar property tax exemption?
Yes. North Carolina excludes the value solar adds to a home from property tax assessment, so a system that raises your home's value does not raise your annual tax bill.
What solar incentives are available in North Carolina in 2026?
North Carolina’s state solar credit expired in 2015. Duke has periodically offered rebate programs (often oversubscribed); property tax exemption applies. Because the federal Section 25D credit ended for systems installed after December 31, 2025, these state, local and utility programs are now the entire incentive picture for a purchased system.
Is there still a 30% federal solar tax credit in North Carolina?
No. The 30% federal residential clean energy credit (Section 25D) ended for systems installed after December 31, 2025 under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. Any quote or website still applying 30% to a 2026 purchased installation is out of date. Leased and PPA systems can still benefit indirectly, because the third party that owns the system may claim the commercial 48E credit through 2027 and pass some of the value through in pricing.
Does North Carolina have net metering?
North Carolina’s Duke Energy utilities replaced legacy net metering with a net billing structure including time-of-use elements; exports are credited below retail for new customers. Export rules are effectively an incentive — often the largest one — because they set what every kilowatt-hour you do not use on site is worth.
How much do incentives change the cost of solar in North Carolina?
Before incentives, a typical 8 kW system in North Carolina runs roughly $19,200–$25,200. Duke Energy rebate programs have run periodically and been oversubscribed — the value depends on current funding. See our full North Carolina cost breakdown for payback math.
Verify before you rely on any of this
Incentive programs open, close, deplete their funding and change their caps — often mid-year. This page is a starting point reviewed September 2026, not tax advice. Confirm with: