North Carolina solar installation & market data
The North Carolina solar market at a glance.
North Carolina has about 62,566 solar systems totalling 676.8 MW, as reported by its utilities through July 2026. 48 MW of residential solar was added in the trailing twelve months, down 21.1% on the twelve months before. 2.2% of owner-occupied homes have gone solar and 0.1% of solar customers have a battery. SolarDNA tracks 760 individual installations here, from 0 installers.
North Carolina's SolarDNA Market Score: 40 out of 100.
North Carolina scores 40 out of 100 on SolarDNA's Market Score, a 0-to-100 scale benchmarked against every other state market. That is higher than 53% of U.S. states. Grade C (Good).
The score combines 5 subscores, each computed from observed market data:
- Velocity (29): trailing-12-month growth in solar added versus the prior twelve months, so accelerating markets score higher.
- Cost (50): median installed $/W relative to the national median (a cheaper market scores higher).
- Incentives (47): net-metering coverage, RECs a new system can earn, state tax credit, rebate program and tax exemptions (components listed below).
- Resource (28): annual solar irradiance, so the same system produces more where this score is high.
- Depth (50): proven demand: how many systems are already installed, with a bonus for markets that show adoption without being saturated.
Duke Energy PowerPair solar-plus-storage rebate; property tax exclusion.
Federal: Federal residential credit (25D) ended for systems placed in service after Dec 31, 2025. Third-party-owned systems can still use the commercial credit (48E) through 2027 under construction-start rules.
State-level averages hide wide variation. Here's how to go deeper in the app:
- 1Narrow to a zip codeZip metrics give a far more accurate picture of the exact neighborhoods you are considering.
- 2Apply filtersFilter by score, growth, $/W, adoption and permits to reach the markets that actually match your model.
- 3Benchmark the installersSee who already wins there, how fast they are growing, and what they charge per watt.
How SolarDNA defines these metrics
Solar systems
Solar systems is the market-size figure: the systems utilities report on their lines, plus an estimate (sized from reported capacity) for systems outside net metering. It is current for every state.
How SolarDNA calculates solar systems →Tracked installations
Tracked installations are the individual residential, commercial and utility-scale systems SolarDNA holds a record for. SolarDNA de-duplicates the same system across records. Pricing, installers, equipment and every zip-level figure come from these records.
How SolarDNA calculates tracked installations →Median installed cost
Median installed cost is the middle price per watt (DC) that homeowners paid for a residential system in the trailing twelve months, before incentives. Quartiles show the spread.
How SolarDNA calculates median installed cost →Adoption rate
Adoption rate is the share of owner-occupied homes with a residential solar system. It measures how saturated a market is, not how fast it is growing.
How SolarDNA calculates adoption rate →12-month growth
For a state, growth compares the residential solar capacity added in the trailing twelve months with the twelve months before, from utility-reported totals with one-off reporting corrections smoothed out. For cities and zip codes it compares tracked installations.
How SolarDNA calculates 12-month growth →Battery share
Battery share is the portion of a state's solar customers whose system includes a battery, as reported by utilities.
How SolarDNA calculates battery share →Permits
Permits count the solar building permits filed in the last twelve months. They lead installations by several months, which makes them the earliest read on demand.
How SolarDNA calculates permits →Market Score
SolarDNA's Market Score grades each market from 0 to 100 on solar sales potential, weighing velocity, cost, incentives, solar resource and installer depth. Markets are benchmarked against every other market in the country, and the letter grade is set on a curve: A is the top 10% of markets, C the middle 40%, F the bottom 10%.
How SolarDNA calculates market score →See what a specific North Carolina zip code looks like
Drop in any North Carolina zip code and SolarDNA opens its market card: score, installs, median $/W, growth and permits, benchmarked against the state.
Dive deeper into the North Carolina market
Market size & momentum
Systems, capacity, monthly additions, battery share and solar customers by utility.
- •How many solar systems are there in North Carolina?
- •Is solar still growing in North Carolina?
- •Which utility territories are adding the most?
Pricing & economics
Installed $/W, quartiles, system sizes and simple payback.
- •How much does solar cost in North Carolina?
- •Is $/W falling in North Carolina?
- •What is the median system size?
Growth & adoption
Installs by year, adoption, TAM penetration and battery attach.
- •Is solar demand growing in North Carolina?
- •How saturated is the market?
- •How many systems add a battery?
Installers
The league table: volume, momentum, system size and pricing per installer.
- •Who installs the most in North Carolina?
- •Which installers are growing fastest?
- •What do they charge per watt?
Utilities & incentives
Retail rates by utility, net metering, SREC value and the planned utility pipeline.
- •What are electricity rates in North Carolina?
- •Which utilities offer net metering?
- •How big is the utility-scale pipeline?
How big North Carolina's solar market is, and where it is heading
Totals reported by North Carolina's utilities through July 2026 (latest months are preliminary)
Trailing-12-month residential capacity added carried forward at half the observed growth rate (capped at ±30%), with a ±11% band. Not a forecast of permits or policy.
Solar customers by utility in North Carolina
Net-metered solar customers through July 2026
| Utility | Solar customers | Capacity | Added, 12 mo | Growth | With battery |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Duke Energy Carolinas, LLC | 29,087 | 272 MW | 1,975 | ▼ 23.4% | — |
| Duke Energy Progress - (NC) | 28,897 | 264 MW | 2,252 | ▼ 24.1% | — |
| Brunswick Electric Member Corp | 1,033 | 8 MW | 60 | ▼ 55.1% | — |
| Virginia Electric & Power Co | 780 | 7 MW | 45 | — | — |
| Jones-Onslow Elec Member Corp | 712 | 5 MW | 40 | ▼ 68.6% | — |
| Fayetteville Public Works Commission | 465 | 3 MW | 0 | — | — |
| Rutherford Elec Member Corp | 452 | 4 MW | 25 | — | 8.4% |
What solar costs in North Carolina
Residential systems, trailing twelve months
How fast North Carolina is going solar
From SolarDNA's installation records, which run through January 1, 2024; current momentum is in the market totals above
Top installers in North Carolina
Ranked by installations in this state
| # | Installer | Installs | 12-mo | Avg kW | $/W |
|---|
Top zip markets in North Carolina
Ranked by installations · click for the zip market
| Zip | Installs | $/W | Growth | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 28511 Atlantic | 1 | — | — | 43.5 C |
| 28562 New Bern | 1 | $5.95 | — | 33.5 D |
| 27823 Enfield | 1 | — | — | 42.9 C |
| 28115 Mooresville | 1 | — | — | 43.5 C |
| 28023 China Grove | 1 | $4.08 | — | 42.2 C |
| 28018 Bostic | 1 | — | — | 42.9 C |
| 28669 Roaring River | 1 | — | — | 43.5 C |
Utilities and retail rates
Implied residential rate per utility
| Utility | Type | Res. customers | ¢/kWh | Net metering |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Duke Energy Carolinas, LLC | Investor Owned | 1,919,372 | 13.9 | ✓ |
| Duke Energy Progress - (NC) | Investor Owned | 1,356,079 | 15.5 | ✓ |
| EnergyUnited Elec Member Corp | Cooperative | 121,995 | 11.5 | ✓ |
| Virginia Electric & Power Co | Investor Owned | 108,656 | 13.9 | ✓ |
| Brunswick Electric Member Corp | Cooperative | 105,562 | 13.7 | ✓ |
| Union Electric Membership Corp - (NC) | Cooperative | 84,602 | 13.4 | ✓ |
| Jones-Onslow Elec Member Corp | Cooperative | 79,690 | 13.1 | ✓ |
| Adjustment 2024 | 77,652 | 14.2 | ✓ |
Other solar markets in North Carolina
Three ways to slice North Carolina's 760 installations
See how the market splits by sector, by battery attach and by installer, updated with every refresh.
See all breakdownsWhen demand peaks in North Carolina
Not enough complete years of monthly data to profile seasonality yet.
See the monthly trendQuick answers about North Carolina's market
🛡 Why trust SolarDNA data?
How many solar installations are there in North Carolina?
How much does solar cost in North Carolina?
Is the North Carolina solar market growing?
What is the solar adoption rate in North Carolina?
Is North Carolina a good market for solar sales?
How many solar installers work in North Carolina?
How many solar permits were filed in North Carolina?
How current is North Carolina's solar data?
There's a lot more inside the SolarDNA app.
- ◇Zip and city market pages
- ◇Installer league tables
- ◇Territory builder
- ◇Solarizer deal estimates
- ◇Permit activity where reported
- ◇Export the data