Your electric utility is Duke Energy Carolinas. North Carolina power averages about 15.09 cents per kWh, and a typical 6 kW roof here makes roughly 8,584 kWh a year. Duke’s old 1:1 net metering closed to new solar in 2023, so new systems now pick a bridge or time-of-use plan. The 30% federal homeowner tax credit ended December 31, 2025.
Winston-Salem homeowners have a solid case for rooftop solar, but the numbers here work differently than the national headlines suggest. North Carolina’s electricity rate is below the U.S. average, your utility is Duke Energy Carolinas, and the way Duke credits solar changed a few years ago. This page covers what solar really costs in Winston-Salem, who your utility is, how net metering works now, the state and Forsyth County details that catch people, and the federal tax-credit change, so you can check your own address in about a minute.
Why solar pays in Winston-Salem even at a lower rate
North Carolina’s power is cheaper than most of the country, so the case for solar rests on strong sun and a rising bill rather than a sky-high rate. The state’s average residential electricity price is about 15.09 cents per kWh (U.S. Energy Information Administration, May 2026), below the national average of roughly 18.4 cents. That means the savings math depends heavily on how much power your specific roof can make, and Winston-Salem gets a good amount of it.
Here is a Winston-Salem-specific production number, computed from the sources below. According to MySolarFY’s analysis (August 2026), a typical 6 kW rooftop system in Winston-Salem (ZIP 27101) produces about 8,584 kWh a year (modeled with NREL’s PVWatts calculator), which at North Carolina’s average rate of about 15.09 cents per kWh offsets roughly 1,295 dollars of grid power in a year. Your own figure depends on roof pitch, shading, and orientation, so treat this as a planning estimate and model your exact roof before you size a system.
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Your Winston-Salem utility is Duke Energy Carolinas
Getting the utility right matters, because it decides how your solar is credited. Winston-Salem and the rest of Forsyth County are served by Duke Energy Carolinas, one of two Duke Energy operating companies in the state (the other, Duke Energy Progress, serves Raleigh and much of eastern and western North Carolina). Duke Energy Carolinas runs the net-metering and interconnection process for your home, so the rules on this page are the Duke Energy Carolinas versions, not a generic statewide summary. For the full statewide picture, see our North Carolina solar guide.
How Duke Energy credits your Winston-Salem solar now
The one thing to understand before you sign anything is that Duke’s old full-retail net metering is closed to new solar customers. Duke Energy Carolinas retired its legacy 1:1 retail net metering for new residential solar in 2023. New systems now enroll in one of Duke’s current options: a transitional Bridge Rate (Rider NMB) or the standard Residential Solar Choice plan (Rider RSC), a time-of-use rate that credits the power you export at less than the full retail price and applies a small minimum monthly bill. The practical effect is that self-consumption, when you use your own solar as you make it, is worth more than exporting, so system sizing and, for some homes, a battery matter more than they used to.
| Duke Energy Carolinas option | What to know |
|---|---|
| Legacy 1:1 net metering | Closed to new residential solar; only pre-existing systems remain on it |
| Bridge Rate (Rider NMB) | A transitional monthly-netting option, capacity-limited; confirm current availability with Duke |
| Residential Solar Choice (Rider RSC) | The standard plan: a time-of-use rate, exports credited below full retail, a minimum monthly bill |
| Interconnection | Duke must grant Permission to Operate before your system can be switched on |
The exact credit rates and rider terms change with Duke’s filings at the North Carolina Utilities Commission, so we keep the current mechanics on our North Carolina net metering guide for 2026, and for the basics of how export credits work, see how net metering credits your solar exports. Ask any installer to model your bill under Rider RSC using current Duke Energy Carolinas rates, not the old 1:1 assumption.
North Carolina solar incentives on a Winston-Salem home
North Carolina does not have a homeowner SREC income market like Maryland or New Jersey, and its old state solar income-tax credit expired years ago, so the local incentives are about lowering cost and tax exposure rather than paying you per kilowatt-hour. Here is what a Winston-Salem homeowner can actually use.
- An 80% property-tax abatement on the system’s value. North Carolina excludes 80% of the appraised value a solar electric system adds to your home from local property tax under state law (G.S. 105-275(45)), so going solar does not trigger a big property-tax jump (DSIRE North Carolina, as of 2026). Confirm how the Forsyth County Tax Office applies it.
- Duke Energy’s PowerPair pilot, if it is open. Duke has offered PowerPair, a limited-enrollment incentive for solar paired with a home battery, with an upfront payment and a capacity cap (DSIRE Duke Energy PowerPair, as of 2026). Enrollment opens and closes, so verify current availability with Duke Energy before you count on it.
- No North Carolina state income-tax credit. The state’s earlier renewable-energy tax credit has expired, so there is no state solar income-tax credit for a 2026 install; do not let a quote assume one.
What the federal tax-credit change means for Winston-Salem
The federal homeowner credit is gone, and that changes the payback math for a cash or loan purchase. The 30% federal Residential Clean Energy Credit (Section 25D) ended for systems placed in service after December 31, 2025, under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, so a Winston-Salem homeowner who buys solar with cash or a loan in 2026 cannot claim it (IRS Residential Clean Energy Credit; SEIA, as of 2026). You will still see installer pages asking whether the credit is going away; for 2026 the accurate answer is that the homeowner version already ended. For the full timeline, see what the federal solar tax credit change means in 2026.
One federal exception exists, and it is not yours to claim. A separate commercial credit, Section 48E, is claimed by the business that owns a leased or PPA system, not by the homeowner (IRS Clean Electricity Investment Credit, as of 2026). On a leased system you do not file for a federal credit yourself; the company that owns the panels does. The 25D homeowner credit, by contrast, ended after December 31, 2025.
Permits and inspections for solar in Winston-Salem
A Winston-Salem solar project needs both city permits and utility approval, and they are separate steps. On the city side, your installer pulls permits through the City of Winston-Salem Inspections Division, which handles the building permit and a separate electrical permit for the PV system, followed by local inspection (City of Winston-Salem Inspections, as of 2026). On the utility side, Duke Energy Carolinas must approve your interconnection and issue Permission to Operate before the system can be energized and export to the grid. A licensed installer runs both tracks for you and builds the timeline around them.
| Step | Who handles it |
|---|---|
| Building and electrical permits | City of Winston-Salem Inspections Division, pulled by your installer |
| Local inspection | City inspector signs off on the finished install |
| Interconnection and Permission to Operate | Duke Energy Carolinas, before the system can be switched on |
Paying for solar in Winston-Salem: cash, loan, lease, or PPA
There is no single right way to pay for solar; the best fit depends on whether you want to own the system, and its tax and property benefits, or avoid an up-front cost. The table below compares the common paths. A lease or PPA can mean no up-front cost for eligible homeowners, but it is a long-term agreement with monthly payments, not free solar, and the company that owns the panels, not you, holds any incentive tied to ownership. To weigh the long-run numbers, see whether solar panels are worth it.
| Path | Up-front cost | Who owns the system | Best when |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cash purchase | Full system cost | You | You want the fastest payback and the most lifetime savings |
| Solar loan | Little to none, financed | You | You want ownership without paying cash up front |
| Lease or PPA | $0-up-front where eligible | The third-party owner | You prefer no up-front cost and a simpler, fixed monthly bill |
How to choose a solar installer in Winston-Salem
Winston-Salem has an active market of licensed installers, from local North Carolina companies to national brands, which is good for you because it means real competition on price and service. Rather than chasing a “best installer” list, screen any company against objective criteria:
- NABCEP certification, the industry’s professional standard for PV installers.
- A valid North Carolina general contractor and electrical license for the work.
- A clear workmanship and equipment warranty in writing.
- Real experience with Duke Energy Carolinas interconnection and City of Winston-Salem permitting, so the paperwork and approvals go smoothly.
- A written production estimate and a transparent quote that models your bill under Duke’s current Rider RSC, not the retired 1:1 rate. For a checklist, see the right questions to ask a solar installer.
MySolarFY matches you with licensed installers that serve your area so you can compare real local quotes side by side, with no obligation.
Check which solar programs are available at your Winston-Salem address →
Frequently asked questions
Is solar worth it in Winston-Salem in 2026?
For many owner-occupied Winston-Salem homes with decent sun, yes, but the math is more about production than a high rate. North Carolina’s average residential electricity price is about 15.09 cents per kWh (EIA, as of 2026), below the national average, so savings depend on how much power your roof makes. A typical 6 kW system in ZIP 27101 produces around 8,584 kWh a year by MySolarFY’s PVWatts-based estimate. Because Duke no longer offers full-retail net metering to new solar, sizing the system to your usage and considering a battery matter more than they used to.
Who is my electric utility for solar in Winston-Salem?
Duke Energy Carolinas is the electric utility for Winston-Salem and Forsyth County, and it administers your net metering and interconnection. It is one of two Duke Energy companies in the state; the other, Duke Energy Progress, serves different regions. The rules that apply to your home are the Duke Energy Carolinas versions, so make sure any quote models the Duke Energy Carolinas rate you will actually be on.
Does Duke Energy still offer net metering in North Carolina?
Duke’s legacy 1:1 retail net metering closed to new residential solar in 2023. New Winston-Salem systems enroll in a current Duke option instead: a transitional Bridge Rate (Rider NMB) or the standard Residential Solar Choice plan (Rider RSC), a time-of-use rate that credits exported power below full retail and applies a minimum monthly bill. The exact terms change with Duke’s filings at the North Carolina Utilities Commission, so confirm the current rate and see our North Carolina net metering guide for 2026.
What solar incentives can a Winston-Salem homeowner use?
The main one is North Carolina’s 80% property-tax abatement, which excludes 80% of the value your solar system adds to your home from local property tax under G.S. 105-275(45) (DSIRE, as of 2026). Duke has also offered PowerPair, a limited-enrollment incentive for solar paired with a battery, which opens and closes, so check current availability. North Carolina does not have a state solar income-tax credit or a homeowner SREC market.
What happened to the federal solar tax credit?
The 30% federal Residential Clean Energy Credit (Section 25D) ended for systems placed in service after December 31, 2025, under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, so a Winston-Salem homeowner who buys solar in 2026 with cash or a loan cannot claim it (IRS, as of 2026). A separate commercial credit, Section 48E, can apply to leased and PPA systems, but the business that owns the system claims it, not the homeowner.
What permits do I need for solar in Winston-Salem?
Your installer pulls a building permit and a separate electrical permit through the City of Winston-Salem Inspections Division, and a city inspector signs off on the finished install (City of Winston-Salem Inspections, as of 2026). Separately, Duke Energy Carolinas must approve your interconnection and issue Permission to Operate before the system can be turned on. A licensed installer handles both tracks, so build a few weeks into your timeline for the approvals.
Reviewed by the MySolarFY team. Figures were verified against the linked EIA, NREL PVWatts, DSIRE, IRS, and Duke Energy sources as of August 2026; the North Carolina residential rate is the EIA state average, and net-metering rider terms, the PowerPair pilot’s availability, and property-tax treatment can change, so confirm current terms with Duke Energy Carolinas, the North Carolina Utilities Commission, and the Forsyth County Tax Office before you decide. MySolarFY does not provide tax or financial advice; consult a licensed professional about your own situation. Learn more about the MySolarFY team and how we work.
MySolarFY is a free service that matches homeowners with licensed solar installers. We are not an installer, financing company, or government program. “No up-front cost” refers to qualifying lease or PPA financing, where eligible homeowners may have no out-of-pocket cost at installation. Lease and PPA terms typically run 20 to 25 years, may include an annual price escalator, and total payments may exceed the cost of a cash purchase; on a lease or PPA any ownership-based incentive goes to the company that owns the system, not the homeowner. Homeowners do not get the federal residential credit that ended after December 31, 2025. Solar panels are not free and monthly payments apply. Eligibility, savings, incentives, and rates vary and are not guaranteed. See our full disclaimer.
