Solar in Raleigh, NC
With Duke Energy Progress's electricity at about 15.9¢ per kWh and 1,372 kWh of sun per kW, solar is a close call for a typical Raleigh home today: about a 13.5-year payback.
- Payback, typical home
- 13.5 yrsNorth Carolina: 14.2 yrs
- 25-year net
- $23,736after paying $22,770
- Sun
- 1,372kWh per kW per year
- Electricity
- 15.9¢12% below U.S. average
A typical Raleigh home, by the numbers
| Utility | Duke Energy Progress |
|---|---|
| Electricity use | 1,046 kWh a month |
| Best-value system | 8.2 kW, about 19 panels, 11,252 kWh a year (90% of use) |
| Cost | $22,770 |
| First-year savings | $1,724 |
| Payback | 13.5 years |
| Exported power | 3.5¢/kWh (Duke Energy Progress) |
Cash purchase, no federal credit, 2.2% yearly rate increases. Run it with your own numbers.
Homes in Raleigh
- Owner-occupied homes
- 51%
- Single-family detached
- 44%
- Median home value
- $416k
- Median year built
- 1997
- Population
- 481,031
- Roofs suitable for solar†
- 68%
Census ACS 2020–2024. †Share of 83,089 buildings Google Project Sunroof rated technically suitable (2019 snapshot).
Installers working in Raleigh
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 Raleigh
Is solar worth it in Raleigh, NC?
For a typical home in Raleigh, solar is a close call at 2026 prices: a 8.2 kW system costs about $22,770 after state incentives, saves about $1,724 in year one and pays back in about 13.5 years. Enter your address for an estimate based on your roof and bill.
How much solar power does a system produce in Raleigh?
About 1,372 kWh per year for each kW of panels on a south-facing roof, based on PVWatts and local weather. That's 3% less than the North Carolina average. East- or west-facing roofs produce roughly 10–20% less.
Who is the electric utility in Raleigh?
Most homes in Raleigh are served by Duke Energy Progress, at about 15.9¢ per kWh on average. Some areas are served by Duke Energy Carolinas, Wake Electric Membership.
How much do solar panels cost in Raleigh?
A fair cash price is around $2.85 per watt before incentives, so about $22,770 for a 8.2 kW system. There's no federal tax credit for homeowners who buy in 2026.
Nearby
- Garner 12.9 yrs
- Cary 13.4 yrs
- Morrisville 15.4 yrs
- Wake Forest 15.3 yrs
- Apex 13.2 yrs
- Clayton 13 yrs
- Holly Springs 13 yrs
- Fuquay-Varina 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.