Solar in Durham, NC
With Duke Energy Carolinas's electricity at about 14.2¢ per kWh and 1,360 kWh of sun per kW, solar is a close call for a typical Durham home today: about a 15.4-year payback.
- Payback, typical home
- 15.4 yrsNorth Carolina: 14.2 yrs
- 25-year net
- $15,153after paying $19,950
- Sun
- 1,360kWh per kW per year
- Electricity
- 14.2¢21% below U.S. average
A typical Durham home, by the numbers
| Utility | Duke Energy Carolinas |
|---|---|
| Electricity use | 996 kWh a month |
| Best-value system | 7 kW, about 16 panels, 9,519 kWh a year (80% of use) |
| Cost | $19,950 |
| First-year savings | $1,327 |
| Payback | 15.4 years |
| Exported power | 3.5¢/kWh (Duke Energy Carolinas) |
Cash purchase, no federal credit, 2.2% yearly rate increases. Run it with your own numbers.
Homes in Durham
- Owner-occupied homes
- 52%
- Single-family detached
- 51%
- Median home value
- $393k
- Median year built
- 1995
- Population
- 291,467
- Roofs suitable for solar†
- 66%
Census ACS 2020–2024. †Share of 49,359 buildings Google Project Sunroof rated technically suitable (2019 snapshot).
Installers working in Durham
Public installation records for North Carolina don't name installers, so we can't rank local companies here. Browse installers in North Carolina.
Always verify the license and get at least three quotes. Compare quotes side by side.
Questions about solar in Durham
Is solar worth it in Durham, NC?
For a typical home in Durham, solar is a close call at 2026 prices: a 7 kW system costs about $19,950 after state incentives, saves about $1,327 in year one and pays back in about 15.4 years. Enter your address for an estimate based on your roof and bill.
How much solar power does a system produce in Durham?
About 1,360 kWh per year for each kW of panels on a south-facing roof, based on PVWatts and local weather. That's 4% less than the North Carolina average. East- or west-facing roofs produce roughly 10–20% less.
Who is the electric utility in Durham?
Most homes in Durham are served by Duke Energy Carolinas, at about 14.2¢ per kWh on average. Some areas are served by Duke Energy Progress, Piedmont Electric Member, Wake Electric Membership.
How much do solar panels cost in Durham?
A fair cash price is around $2.85 per watt before incentives, so about $19,950 for a 7 kW system. There's no federal tax credit for homeowners who buy in 2026.
Nearby
- Chapel Hill 15.4 yrs
- Morrisville 15.4 yrs
- Cary 13.4 yrs
- Apex 13.2 yrs
- Raleigh 13.5 yrs
- Wake Forest 15.3 yrs
- Holly Springs 13 yrs
- Garner 12.9 yrs
- All of North Carolina
Data: PVWatts (National Laboratory of the Rockies), EIA-861 2025 adjusted to 2026, U.S. Census ACS, LBNL Tracking the Sun, state policy research as of October 2026.