North Carolina Ranks Third in Solar!

North Carolina is currently ranked third in utility-scale solar development right behind California and Nevada. We have 803 megawatts (MW) of solar in development or under construction, which is enough to power 300,000 homes at peak hours! The amount of solar energy in North Carolina is expected to grow four times as much by 2040 (SNL).

 

Policies like the Renewable Energy Portfolio Standard (REPS) have contributed to the growth of solar energy throughout the country. Having one of the first and most aggressive REPS in the south, North Carolina utilities are well on track to meet their goal of generating 12.5% of electricity from renewable sources by 2020. Additionally, prices have dropped significantly in the past 5 years, roughly by 14% for residential systems, and are expected to continue to drop.

 

North Carolina's state tax credit of 35% and the federal tax credit of 30% have been a huge motivation for residents to invest in solar. A study done by Market Strategies International found that 51% of respondents were more interested in installing a solar electric system on their home after they found out how the tax credits factor in to the average cost of installing on a typical home of $30,000, which will produce 60% of the home's electricity. The survey also showed that households with incomes below $25,000 were interested in investing in solar. More people are starting to realize that solar is, in fact, a wise investment and the long-term savings are well-worth the now affordable up-front cost.

Featured Installation

This past week our team installed a 5.1 kW ground mounted solar PV system in Salisbury, North Carolina. 

According to the NREL's PVWatts Calculator, this 5.1 kW system will produce 7,312 kWh per year, which is equivalent to planting 132 trees and preventing 4,899 tons of carbon dioxide from being emitted each year.

Homeowners can view and monitor their system's production using Enphase's Enlighten Manager. Let us know how your system is running and how much it is saving you each month, and we'll feature your system in our next email blast! Just email melissa@ncsolarnow.com.

NC GreenPower Celebrates 10 Years

NC GreenPower is a 501(c)3 nonprofit that was launched in 2003 to bring about the use of renewable energy in North Carolina. This month we celebrate 10 years of the program working towards improving the quality of our state's environment. Developed through Advanced Energy, a nonprofit that focuses on energy efficiency, the program works to connect "customers with green energy and carbon offset providers."

NC GreenPower helps people afford their renewable energy system and allows others who are not eligible for systems of their own to support in a different way. The program relies on generous donations and sponsorships to keep their efforts running. People can donate through their utility bill or directly to the program through either a one-time or a monthly donation. Our very own Steve Nicolas, Co-owner of NC Solar Now, donates every month through his utility bill, helping to support his very own customers.

People can donate to the program in increments of $4; $1 is put towards the program and $3 is donated as either a renewable energy generation or carbon offset mitigation (click here to view the $3 of $4 Model). For a renewable energy offset, the money goes to people, or generators, with biomass, small-scale solar or wind systems generating power to the grid. For carbon offsets, the money is put towards mitigating emissions from hog lagoon methane capture projects and landfills. Generators are allowed up to a 5-year agreement to receive donations through the program.

NC GreenPower also works to inform residents of North Carolina about the benefits of renewable energy by attending events and holding seminars across the state. If you are unable to help out by donating money to the program, they also rely on generous volunteers to work events on their behalf.

Since 2003, donors have supported 900 generators across the state, providing about $5.5 million in incentives; supporting nearly 449,054,400 kWh of renewable energy generated to the grid, preventing 363,719,689 pounds of coal from being used, planting 71,876,605 trees, and the equivalent to powering 31,122 homes. We hope to see the program continue to prosper for another 10 years and continue to improve the quality of our state's environment. For just $4 a month, you can help support NC GreenPower and the use of renewable energy in North Carolina. Show your support and celebrate NC GreenPower's 10th Anniversary by donating to the program to help keep renewable energy generation alive in our state.