Solar Panel Cost in North Carolina (2026)
Installed solar in North Carolina runs about $2.50 per watt — roughly 3% below the national average of $2.58/W. With the federal residential tax credit (25D) gone as of 2026, payback here rests on a $0.15/kWh power price and 4.9 daily peak sun hours.
Worked example: a typical $150/month home in North Carolina
A $150/month electric bill in North Carolina works out to about 12,414 kWh a year. Sizing a cash-purchase system to cover 100% of that:
Last updated June 30, 2026
North Carolina solar numbers
- Installed price
- $2.50 / watt
- Electricity price
- $0.15 / kWh
- Peak sun hours
- 4.9 hrs/day
- State incentive
- 0%
- Net-metering value
- 85% of retail
$/W: industry pricing surveys · electricity: U.S. EIA, 12-month average through April 2026 · sun hours: NREL.
Local context: Duke's bridge net-metering rates and good sun give North Carolina a sizable solar market.
North Carolina credits exported power at about 85% of the retail rate (NEM 3.0-style), so a battery to store and self-use your generation usually improves the return here.
Estimate your own North Carolina system
Adjust the bill, ownership, and battery options below — it's pre-set to North Carolina's pricing and sun hours.
Monthly shape modeled with NREL PVWatts® v8 (NSRDB 2020 TMY) — updated July 18, 2026.
Electricity 14.5¢/kWh — U.S. EIA, 12-month average through April 2026.
Data: U.S. EIA · OpenEI URDB · Google Solar · NREL PVWatts · DSIRE · IRS · ENERGY STAR · industry surveys — see all sources