Solar in Wilmington, NC
With Duke Energy Progress's electricity at about 15.9¢ per kWh and 1,450 kWh of sun per kW, solar is worth it for a typical Wilmington home today: about a 13-year payback.
- Payback, typical home
- 13 yrsNorth Carolina: 14.2 yrs
- 25-year net
- $24,758after paying $21,830
- Sun
- 1,450kWh per kW per year
- Electricity
- 15.9¢12% below U.S. average
A typical Wilmington home, by the numbers
| Utility | Duke Energy Progress |
|---|---|
| Electricity use | 1,046 kWh a month |
| Best-value system | 7.8 kW, about 18 panels, 11,311 kWh a year (90% of use) |
| Cost | $21,830 |
| First-year savings | $1,715 |
| Payback | 13.0 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 Wilmington
- Owner-occupied homes
- 48%
- Single-family detached
- 50%
- Median home value
- $384k
- Median year built
- 1989
- Population
- 120,805
- Roofs suitable for solar†
- 80%
Census ACS 2020–2024. †Share of 30,502 buildings Google Project Sunroof rated technically suitable (2019 snapshot).
Installers working in Wilmington
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 Wilmington
Is solar worth it in Wilmington, NC?
For a typical home in Wilmington, solar is worth it at 2026 prices: a 7.8 kW system costs about $21,830 after state incentives, saves about $1,715 in year one and pays back in about 13 years. Enter your address for an estimate based on your roof and bill.
How much solar power does a system produce in Wilmington?
About 1,450 kWh per year for each kW of panels on a south-facing roof, based on PVWatts and local weather. That's 3% more than the North Carolina average. East- or west-facing roofs produce roughly 10–20% less.
Who is the electric utility in Wilmington?
Most homes in Wilmington are served by Duke Energy Progress, at about 15.9¢ per kWh on average. Some areas are served by Brunswick Electric Member, Four County Electric Member.
How much do solar panels cost in Wilmington?
A fair cash price is around $2.85 per watt before incentives, so about $21,830 for a 7.8 kW system. There's no federal tax credit for homeowners who buy in 2026.
Nearby
- Leland 13.2 yrs
- Jacksonville 12.6 yrs
- New Bern 13.3 yrs
- Goldsboro 13 yrs
- Fayetteville 13.2 yrs
- Greenville 13 yrs
- Clayton 13 yrs
- Wilson 14.9 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.