Is Solar Worth It in North Carolina? 2026 Rates & Payback
Is solar worth it in North Carolina?
Less attractiveAt 15.2¢/kWh, payback in North Carolina takes about 14.1 years, so the financial case is weaker here.
Electricity here is 21% cheaper than the national average (~19.3¢/kWh).
Rates in North Carolina rose 23% from 2020 to 2025. If prices rise 3% a year, payback drops to about 12.0 years. Try other scenarios ↓
Get free quotes from local installersEstimates only. Actual results depend on your home, installer and local rules. Learn more: Is solar worth it in 2026? · What if electricity prices rise?
At 15.2¢/kWh, a home using 900 kWh a month pays about $136. A 6 kW rooftop system here produces roughly 8,400 kWh a year. At $3.00/W ($18,000, before incentives), the savings would pay off the system in about 14.1 years.
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Estimate based on average system size and current rates. Actual results vary.
What if electricity prices rise?
Many states have seen rates rise faster than 3% in recent years.
Do nothing: over 25 years you'd pay about $46,429 for the electricity a 6 kW system would otherwise produce — money that stays with the utility instead of paying off your panels.
Estimates only. Actual results depend on your home, installer and local rules.
Electricity rate trend
From 2020 to 2025, the average residential rate went from 11.4¢ to 14.0¢/kWh — +23% in 5 years.
If rates continue at a similar pace, solar payback shortens further.
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Electricity price trend
Electricity in North Carolina went up 24% since 2015 (about 2.2% per year).
Average residential price, ¢/kWh (EIA yearly data).
For a 6 kW system. Yearly price rise capped at 5% in this estimate. Future prices are not guaranteed.
Major utilities & net metering
- Duke Energy Carolinas
- Duke Energy Progress
New solar customers move to time-of-use net billing.
Net metering: Reduced export credit — exported power earns less than retail, so self-use and batteries matter more.
General guide — check your utility for current rates.
Solar installers in North Carolina
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Data based on EIA and NREL PVWatts (rates for 2026-07). Some figures are sample estimates because a data service was unavailable.