Going Solar
Going Solar
Solar energy uses a renewable energy source – the sun – and provides many benefits for individuals and the community. It improves the environment by reducing carbon emissions and air contamination, supports local solar companies in North Carolina, saves money on energy costs, and improves electric grid resilience during peak demand and other stresses to the system.
Investigate your property’s solar potential by clicking on this interactive map. You can also estimate the performance of potential PV projects using the National Renewable Energy Laboratory’s PVWatts Calculator. As of August 2022, Durham had over 1,500 solar energy systems installed totaling almost 30 MW of generating capacity. Of these, 96% are on residential properties.
You can learn more about solar energy in North Carolina here.
Getting Started
For more information about the basics of solar energy, your solar options, and questions to ask solar professionals, read the Residential Consumer Guide to Solar Power and visit the Department of Energy’s Homeowner’s Guide to Going Solar.
- Solar Customer Resource Portal – learn about your options for going solar, what to look for in an offer, questions to ask a solar company, your rights, and more
- Choosing a Solar Installer – watch this short, informative video from the GW Solar Institute explaining the research to conduct prior to going solar
- Consumer Solar Checklist – download this checklist for residential consumers considering solar energy from the Interstate Renewable Energy Council (IREC)
- Clean Energy Consumer Bill of Rights – read your rights to ensure a positive consumer experience
Permitting Process & Policies
Durham County is committed to streamlining the solar permitting and inspection process to make it as easy as possible for residents, businesses, non-profits, etc. to install solar. For example, only two inspections are required for small rooftop solar. See the City-County Solar Photovoltaic (PV) System Permitting Checklist and download the NC Department of Insurance’s Residential Rooftop Solar Photovoltaic Inspection Procedure form (PDF) to learn more.
In 2007, North Carolina passed its first solar access law, NC Senate Bill 670, which protects residents’ rights to install solar by forbidding entities from prohibiting installation. A June 2022 NC Supreme Court ruling confirmed that Homeowners Associations may not prevent the installation of solar panels and cannot dictate where on a house the panels go if that effectively reduces the panels' productivity. You can learn more about state policies concerning HOAs' ability to regulate solar here.
Financing & Incentives
The Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 created a 30% tax credit for residential and commercial solar energy and battery storage systems installed on or after January 1, 2022. Non-taxed entities such as nonprofit, religious, and government entities can get a direct payment for the value of the tax credit. Businesses have additional Federal incentives available. Please speak with a tax professional about this and other tax credits.
The state of North Carolina and various NC utilities have additional incentives.
Some additional resources on financing solar:
A Homeowner’s Guide to Solar Financing – learn about different financing options from the Clean Energy States Alliance (CESA)
Rooftop Solar Financing 101 – watch an informative short video from the GW Solar Institute explaining different solar financing options
Durham County Solar Initiatives
Explore installed solar systems throughout Durham County using this interactive map - simply select Durham under the "Filter by County" dropdown in the top left corner of the map.
Check out Durham County’s Renewable Energy Plan (REP) to learn how the County plans to achieve its goal to transition operations from fossil fuel-powered operations to 80% clean, renewable energy by 2030 and 100% by 2050.
Successful 2022-2023 Solarize the Triangle Campaign
Solarize the Triangle was a community-based group-purchasing program for solar energy and battery storage that launched two campaigns, first in 2022 and second in 2023.The Solarize campaign helped homeowners, businesses, and nonprofits become more resilient, reduce energy expenses, and save on the cost of renewable energy systems by obtaining volume discounts on materials and installation services—the more that participated, the greater the savings!
Solarize The Triangle is part of the Triangle Sustainability Partnership, a local government partnership of 12 communities including Durham County, in addition to Central Pines Regional Council and Solar Crowdsource.
See below for the full 2022-2023 Campaign Milestones results in Durham County!