page_title: Solar power in North Carolina
section_title: Generation
hierarchical_section_title: Solar power in North Carolina / Generation
caption_attribution_description: English: 2017 NC Solar Energy Generation Profile
context_page_description: Solar power in North Carolina has been increasing rapidly, from less than 1 MW in 2007 to 6,152 MW in 2019, and has the second-largest installed PV capacity of all U.S. states. SunEdison built a 17.2-megawatt solar farm in Davidson County.
  Because of declining solar panel costs, a 30 percent federal grant known as a 1603 grant was available through December 31, 2011, and a 30 percent tax credit is available through 2019. The federal tax credit is in addition to any local incentives and pays for the cost of installation, which can be rolled over if fewer taxes are owed that year. The difference between a tax deduction and a tax credit is substantial, as a deduction depends on your tax rate to determine your savings, but a tax credit is directly available to repay the cost of installation. A 2012 estimate indicated that a typical 5 kW solar array would pay for itself in 6 years, and thereafter generate a substantial profit. In addition to federal incentives, the state has a Renewable Portfolio Standard of 12.5% by 2021 and a state renewable energy tax credit, both of which have been credited with boosting solar installations.
context_section_description: Using data available from the U.S. Energy Information Agency's Electric Power Annual 2017 and "Electric Power Monthly Data Browser", the following table summarizes North Carolina's solar energy posture.
  
  
  
  Capacity factor for each year was computed from the end-of-year summer capacity.
  2018 data is from Electric Power Monthly and is subject to change.
  Beginning with the 2014 data year, the Energy Information Administration (EIA) has estimated the distributed solar-photovoltaic generation and distributed solar-photovoltaic capacity. These non-utility-scale appraisals evaluate that North Carolina generated the following amounts of additional solar energy:
caption: 2017 NC Solar Energy Generation Profile
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