Save up to $9,000

See if you qualify for Duke Energy's PowerPair℠ incentive

Save up to $9,000 + the 30% federal tax credit with the PowerPair℠ program

Duke Energy customers who own their residence may be eligible for a one-time PowerPair℠ incentive of up to $9,000 when installing a new solar system with eligible battery storage.

The PowerPair℠ incentive is only available to customers installing a qualifying system through a participating Duke Energy Trade Ally, such as Yes Solar Solutions.

PowerPair℠ Program Details

Last updated 11.20.2024

PowerPair℠ Incentives:

Solar Incentive: $.36/watt for solar panels, limited to a max installed capacity of 10kW and capped at $3,600 per residence.
Battery Incentive: $400/kWh for battery storage, limited to a max installed capacity of 13.5 kWh and capped at $5,400 per residence.
EnergyWise Home/ Power Manager Battery Control): (An additional monetary incentive for participants enrolled in the Net Metering Bridge Rate Rider) $6.50/kW per month to let Duke Energy adjust your battery control operating settings and utilize electricity stored on your battery between 30-36 times per year.

The PowerPair℠ incentives cover up to $9,000 or about 13% of the installed equipment cost and the IRA tax credit would cover an additional 30%.

Clawback Provisions:

Participants are required to participate in the program for at least ten years. Duke Energy’s PowerPair℠ incentive has the following clawback provisions.

Early Termination Fee: Unless termination is for good cause, such as a circumstance beyond the control of the participant, an early termination fee will be assessed to any project removed from the Program before the term and will be prorated based on the months remaining and the total incentive amount paid.
Inoperable equipment charge: This charge will be a monthly proration of the total incentive payment and will be assessed each month following a 90-day grace period. Systems inoperable for 12- months straight after the 90-day grace period will be removed from the Program and have the early termination fee assessed.

Application Eligibility:

We recommend visiting duke-energy.com/powerpair to view the full eligibility requirements.
Applicant must be a Duke Energy North Carolina customer (DEC or DEP) and own the premises.
The Duke Energy PowerPair℠ incentive is for solar + storage projects only. (There are no “solar only” incentives through Duke Energy).
The application must be for a new solar system install (no solar system additions are considered).
Applicants cannot have reached commercial operation more than 90 days before applying and must reach commercial operation within 270 days after receiving a rebate reservation.
An Interconnection Approval (ICA) must be submitted before an incentive program application.
All program participants are required to select net energy metering (NEM), as their electric tariff.
The equipment must be installed by a Duke Energy trade ally and will be subject to inspection and verification upon request by Duke Energy. (Yes Solar is a Duke Energy trade ally!)
Maximum export to the grid from the customer’s energy system, including but not limited to installed equipment, must not exceed 20 kW-AC at any time.
The installed equipment must comply with interconnection standards and maintain Internet connectivity to provide required operation and operating characteristic data.
Customers must install a program-eligible system(s). See the full list of eligible equipment here
The installer must be Duke Energy Progress-approved prior to applying for a PowerPair℠ incentive for the installed equipment.

Program Length and Capacity:

The Duke Energy PowerPair℠ incentive program was passed by the NC Utilities Commission (NCUC) on Jan. 12, 2024.
An initial four-week application window occurred from May 10th to June 7th, 2024.
The secondary application window opened on June 21, 2024 and will remain open until the program capacity is reached, or the 3-year enrollment period ends.
- Applications that do not make it within the 60,000 kW cap will be placed on a waiting list on a first-come, first-served order.
- The program capacity of 60,000 kWs will be split equally between customers who selected the Net Metering Bridge Rider and the Residential Solar Choice Rider at the point of applying for interconnection.
As directed, participants would be required to participate in the program for at least ten years or there would be an early termination charge; See Clawback Provisions.
Customers would be allowed to switch riders after 24 months, subject to availability.

EnergyWise Home/ Power Manager Battery Control

EnergyWise Home/ Power Manager Battery Control offers an additional monetary incentive of $6.50/kW per month to let Duke Energy adjust your battery control operating settings and utilize electricity stored on your battery between 30-36 times per year.

Up to 18 times per winter season (December-March)

Up to 9 times per summer season (May-September)

Up to 9 times in the remaining months

A signal will be sent to enrolled batteries at a specific time by Duke Energy to temporarily adjust the system’s operating settings (charge, discharge, hold state of charge, return to normal operations, change of mode, and store energy) and provide stored electricity back to the grid.

(Duke Energy would not discharge the battery below a 20% state of charge.)

Customers can use their batteries normally outside of the ‘control event’ windows and are allowed 4 ‘Opt-out’ dates to deny Duke Energy access to the battery. Customers may opt out more than 4 times, but run the risk of being removed from the program if so.

Yes Solar's Leadership

Yes Solar participated in negotiations with Duke Energy for NC

Stew Miller, co-founder and President of Yes Solar Solutions, played a crucial role in advocating for North Carolina homeowners to receive incentives through the Residential Bridge Rate Rider and the PowerPair℠ pilot program. His advocacy in the local solar industry has made this pilot incentive program possible.

Read about our Team

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